Fossil discovery of the century in Britain. The most complete dinosaur skeleton

It has been found on the British Isle of Wight for years. dinosaur fossilsThere are cliffs along its several kilometers long coast. This is a real geological “book” because it is visible here. Earth’s layers millions of years agoIn them, paleontologists see fossils of extinct creatures.

Every few years, researchers in the field announce new discoveries. That’s what happened this time. In the journal Systematic Palaeontology, scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the Natural History Museum in London present new findings about the Compton Bay specimen.

It was discovered in 2013. The fossil was found by one of Britain’s most famous dinosaur hunters, Nick Chasewho died just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

– Nick [Chase – odkrywca skamieliny – przyp. red.] king Massive nose for finding dinosaur bones “He was truly a modern Mary Anning. He collected fossils every day in all weathers and donated them to museums. I wish we could spend our old age collecting things together because we are the same age, but unfortunately that didn’t happen,” he laments. Jeremy Lockwoodthe researcher at the Natural History Museum who described the new dinosaur with Dr. Susanna Maidment.

pubic bone Comptonatos Chessy It was too big / Photo. Jeremy Lockwood et al. 2024

A new species of dinosaur has been named in his honor. Comptonatos ChessyThe animal lived 125 million years ago. Shortly after the bones were discovered, it was thought that this was the case. MantellisaurusHowever, laboratory tests have proven this view.

This discovery is also important for another reason. As a rule, dinosaur skeletons in Great Britain are found in pristine condition. In this case it is different. It is The best preserved dinosaur discovered in this country in the past 100 years.The sample consists of: 149 diceAs scientists have described, the best preserved bone – the pubic bone – is about the diameter of a dinner plate.

Why was this bone at the base of the abdomen so large? – Perhaps it was used for Muscle attachmentwhich may mean that he has [dinozaura – przyp. red.] The way it moved could have been a little different or could have supported or even participated in the stomach contents more effectively. The way an animal breathesBut Jeremy Lockwood said this was just speculation.

Other important Chase discoveries include the best-preserved Iguanodon skull in Great Britain.

Animal weight about a tonIt is roughly the size of a large male American bison. It was not alone. This is evidenced by the bones of other individuals discovered nearby. Its lower jaw has a straight lower edge, whereas most iguanodonts – dinosaurs of this genus – have a downward-curving jaw. It also had a very large pubic bone.

– It’s really unusual discoveryIt helps us better understand the different types of dinosaurs that lived in England during the Early Cretaceous period. This adds to recent research showing that Wessex [hrabstwo do którego należy wyspa Wight – przyp. red.] He was one of The most diverse ecosystems in the world – Lockwood says.

In the past five years alone, eight new species of dinosaur have been described on this British island. These discoveries demonstrate the rapid pace of evolution of the genus Goanodon.

source: Journal of Systematic Paleontology.