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New megaraptoran dinosaur species identified from Isle of Wight fossil
Overview
A new species of carnivorous dinosaur, Invictibellatrix amberina, has been identified from a fossil fragment discovered on the Isle of Wight over a century ago and stored in the Natural History Museum. Belonging to the megaraptoran group, the creature lived about 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period and marks the first megaraptoran found in Europe.
Key points
- The dinosaur has been named Invictibellatrix amberina, meaning 'unconquered female warrior'.
- The fossil, a chunk of the back of a skull, was originally found by amateur palaeontologist Reginald Walter Tooley and acquired by the Natural History Museum in 1924.
- Invictibellatrix was an agile, two-legged carnivore about the size of a large tiger, measuring three to four metres long with 10cm to 20cm claws.
- Megaraptorans used their large arms and giant curved claws rather than their jaws to attack prey.
- This discovery marks the first time a megaraptoran dinosaur has been found in Europe.