Though dinosaurs vanished millions of years ago, their fossilized remains continue to offer valuable insights into their diversity, habitats, migration patterns, and other aspects of their lives.
In Portugal, paleontologists have discovered a brand new type of dinosaur.
The fossil belongs to a herbivorous dinosaur dating back 150 million years.
The study reveals that the discovered dinosaur specimen represents a previously unknown type of iguanodontian, a group of herbivorous dinosaurs characterized by their beaked mouths and robust bodies.
A new species name is not assigned due to “limited material recovered.”
“As there is no robust diagnosis, we do not erect a new formal species for it at this stage,” the team wrote in the study paper.
“Nevertheless, this specimen represents a previously unreported taxon that highlights greater diversity than previously estimated among the iguanodontians of the Late Jurassic and highlights the importance of Europe in diversification and dispersal events of this clade,” it added.
Unidentified species
The new, large, herbivorous dinosaur, related to iguanodontians, was found in Jurassic-era rock layers in Portugal’s Lusitanian Basin.
The Lusitanian Basin is rich in dinosaur fossils. After a meticulous examination, the researchers determined it didn’t match any known species.
Researchers estimate that this peculiar dinosaur was unusually heavy and robust compared to other iguanodontian species that lived in the same area, like Draconyx and Eousdryosaurus.
This discovery highlights a greater diversity of iguanodontians in the Late Jurassic of Portugal than previously recognized.
“It was a surprise,” said Filippo Maria Rotatori, from GEOBIOTEC (GeoBiosciences, Geotechnologies and Geoengineering), a research center at Nova FCT and main author of the study.
“We believed that the diversity of this group of dinosaurs was already well documented in the Upper Jurassic of Portugal and this discovery shows that there is still much to learn and that exciting discoveries may still emerge in the near future,” added Rotatori in the press release.
Dinosaur diversity in the region
What’s even more fascinating is the discovery of smaller, isolated femurs.
Bruno Camilo, from the University of Lisbon, explained that this indicates different age groups were present, suggesting a thriving dinosaur community in the region during the Upper Jurassic.
“This is the first time that we have found different age groups of this type of dinosaur in Portugal, opening new research possibilities,” Camilo noted.
This discovery highlights Europe’s crucial role in dinosaur evolution and migration.
The team found that this newly discovered dinosaur shares similarities with the iguanodontian species from North America and Europe. The Iberian Peninsula likely served as a vital bridge between continents. More details about this possible migration are to be uncovered.
Though unnamed for now, this find demonstrates the Jurassic’s diversity. Moreover, Portugal’s fossil wealth suggests that countless more discoveries await.
The fossil specimen dubbed SHN.JJS.015 is currently placed at the Torres Vedras Natural History Society.
The study also included researchers from the University of Lisbon and Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) in Spain, along with numerous European institutions and local organizations.
