LONDON – A former graduate student who studied fossils dating back 125 million years has made a significant discovery by identifying a new species of dinosaur characterized by sails on its back.
Survey results, published in the Paleontology Journal on Friday, link this discovery to fossils first unearthed on the Isle of Wight, an island off the southern coast of England, during the 1970s.
Initially, these fossil bones were believed to belong to one of two known species of the Iguanodon type found on the island. However, retired doctor Jeremy Lockwood remarked he observed a peculiar difference in the spinal structure of the fossils while pursuing his doctoral studies in paleontology at the University of Portsmouth.
Having a medical background, Lockwood noted that these dinosaurs exhibited an unusually tall neurospinus.
After meticulously examining several bones in the collections of Dinosaur Island on the Isle of Wight and reviewing existing literature, he concluded that this specimen is a completely distinct species.
Although the skeletons were less complete than other known specimens, Lockwood stated in a release from the Museum of Natural History in London that the bones had not received adequate attention prior to his analysis.
Via Wiley Online Library
“It was incredible,” Lockwood shared with NBC News in a phone interview on Friday. “We discovered that 125 million years ago, the diversity of dinosaurs was far greater than we had previously thought.”
The exact purpose of the sails in dinosaurs has sparked long-standing debates, with theories ranging from temperature control to fat storage.
Several other dinosaur species are also known to possess sails.
For this new species, “the most plausible explanation for the sail is visual signaling, likely as part of a sexual display often influenced by mate selection,” Lockwood noted.
“For me, the thrill lies in naming the dinosaurs,” Lockwood added.
Lockwood, as the lead author of the paper, named the new dinosaur Istiorachis macarthurae. The term Isthiolatis is derived from the ancient Greek words meaning “sail spine,” referring to the tall sail-like formations along the creature’s back.
Macarthurae pays tribute to the well-known island resident Ellen MacArthur, who is also a sailor from the Isle of Wight.
“It’s certainly not an everyday occurrence to be asked if a newly identified dinosaur can bear your name!” MacArthur said in a statement.
“I was quite taken aback when this conversation started, but I felt incredibly honored to be asked.”
“It’s extraordinary and a great privilege that a creature from 125 million years ago could share my last name,” MacArthur remarked.
“The notion that it could rival the sails I’ve spent much of my life beneath was truly touching.”
“125 million years ago, this dinosaur also inhabited the island,” Lockwood said. “I prefer naming dinosaurs in a way that connects them to the Isle of Wight, as it holds significant paleontological importance.”
The new species is relatively small by dinosaur standards, comparable in size to an American bison.
According to Lockwood, this discovery adds to a legacy of findings on the island, which has seen the identification of 10 new dinosaur species over the past six years.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
