A fossil that sat unrecognised for nearly a century has been identified as a new species of long-clawed dinosaur that roamed Britain 120 million years ago. The tiger-sized predator, named Invictibellatrix amberina, would have viewed humans as perfectly-sized prey, scientists say.
The discovery was made from part of a skull found on the Isle of Wight and acquired by the Natural History Museum in 1924, where its significance went unnoticed for decades. Researchers have now established it belonged to a previously unknown species of megaraptoran – a group of agile, two-legged meat-eating dinosaurs closely related to tyrannosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex. It is the first evidence that the group, thought to have originated in Asia, once lived in Europe.
Predator bigger threat than T.rex to humans
Dr Cassius Morrison, who led the research at University College London (UCL), said: “It was not the apex predator of its time, but for humans this dinosaur would have been more dangerous than a T.rex. We would have been perfectly sized prey, about a third of their body weight.”
“They definitely would have chased us. A T.rex would not have bothered, as we would have been too small. It is a real mystery that this fossil was overlooked for so long, sitting in a drawer for nearly 100 years. Lots of bones are found on the Isle of Wight – who knows what else is waiting to be discovered.”
Invictibellatrix is thought to have measured between three and four metres long and stood just over 1.5 metres tall. Rather than relying on huge jaws, the feathered predator is thought to have used powerful arms armed with curved claws measuring up to 20cm.
Fossil discovery and name meaning
Dr Morrison said: “Based on what we know about its closest relatives, Invictibellatrix would have been three to four metres long and just over a metre and a half in height – about as tall as a human. It would likely have had feathers, and its claws might have been about 10cm to 20cm long. It would have eaten small dinosaurs, lizards and mammals – occupying a similar role in the food chain to the hyena today.”
The fossil was originally discovered at the foot of a cliff on the south-west coast of the Isle of Wight by amateur palaeontologist Reginald Walter Tooley. The dinosaur’s name carries a special meaning: Invictibellatrix translates as “unconquered female warrior”, while amberina references amber found in the rocks where the fossil was uncovered. Researchers said the name was chosen with the intention to “give hope and strength to all those who are bullied, discriminated, victimised, and oppressed that tomorrow will be theirs and not to give up in face of such odds”.
Clues to prehistoric spread
Scientists used CT X-ray scans to peer inside the fossil and create 3D models of the skull before comparing it with other meat-eating dinosaurs, including tyrannosaurs, spinosaurs and raptors. They spotted a unique combination of features, including an oval opening where the spinal cord entered the brain and an hourglass-shaped crest, which helped identify the remains as a previously unknown species.
The discovery has also given scientists a crucial clue about how megaraptors spread around the prehistoric world. The dinosaurs are thought to have originated in Asia before moving through Europe and eventually reaching Gondwana, the ancient southern landmass which included present-day Africa, South America and Antarctica. Study co-author Charlie Scherer said: “This new species is the first proof we have that megaraptorans were also present in Europe and that they reached Gondwana this way rather than island-hopping further south.”
Megaraptors were widespread during the Early Cretaceous period, but appear to have disappeared from the northern landmass of Laurasia tens of millions of years later. Meanwhile, those living in Gondwana went on to become enormous apex predators, with some developing claws up to 35cm long. Scientists believe changes to the climate or environment, or competition from other predators including tyrannosaurs, could have contributed to their disappearance from the north, according to research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
Senior author Dr Paul Barrett said: “Despite over 200 years of collecting, the Isle of Wight continues to surprise us with new dinosaur species, and finds of carnivorous dinosaurs, such as Invictibellatrix, have been particularly elusive. Work like this shows the exceptional value of working with historical museum collections where there are still many discoveries to be made.”
