New Dinosaur Species with 7-Inch Claws Unearthed on Isle of Wight
Fossil discovery reveals Invictibellatrix amberina, a megaraptoran predator from 120 million years ago.
A new species of dinosaur, armed with formidable seven-inch claws, roamed the Isle of Wight approximately 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period, researchers have announced. The predator, named Invictibellatrix amberina, belonged to the megaraptoran group, known for their agile hunting style and large claws.
The discovery was made from a fossil skull fragment that had been part of a museum collection for nearly a century. Dr. Cassius Morrison of University College London, the study's lead author, described Invictibellatrix as being about three to four meters long and just over a meter and a half tall, comparable in size to a large tiger. The dinosaur likely possessed feathers and used its large claws to capture prey, rather than relying on bone-crushing jaws like tyrannosaurs.
Researchers suggest that Invictibellatrix, unlike a Tyrannosaurus rex which might have ignored humans due to their smaller size, could have viewed humans as potential prey. "We would have been perfectly sized prey, about a third of their body weight," Dr. Morrison stated.
The fossil was initially found on the Isle of Wight by amateur paleontologist Reginald Walter Tooley and acquired by the Natural History Museum in 1924. Its true identity was only revealed after scientists used CT scans and created detailed 3D models of the skull.
Megaraptorans are a poorly understood group of large carnivorous dinosaurs, with limited fossil evidence previously found in Europe. Their potential origin in Asia and migration through Europe to Gondwana has been a subject of study, and the discovery of Invictibellatrix provides crucial fossil evidence for this theory.
Professor Paul Barrett, senior author of the study from the Natural History Museum, emphasized the ongoing significance of the Isle of Wight for paleontological discoveries and the value of examining historical museum collections. The journal publication notes that the name Invictibellatrix was chosen to represent strength and resilience, while "amberina" refers to the geological context of the fossil's discovery.
