A groundbreaking discovery has unveiled a new genus and species of small bipedal dinosaur from fossils found in Burgos, Spain.
Reconstruction of Foskeia pelendonum. Image credit: Martina Charnel.
Foskeia pelendonum thrived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 120 million years ago.
This newly identified species is part of the Rhabdodontomorpha, a group of ornithischian dinosaurs that existed primarily from the early to late Cretaceous period.
The diminutive dinosaur was roughly the size of a modern chicken, setting it apart from many of its larger ornithischian relatives.
“From the outset, we recognized the uniqueness of these bones due to their small size,” stated Dr. Fidel Torcida Fernández Baldor, a paleontologist at the Salas de los Infantes Dinosaur Museum.
“Remarkably, this study challenges established global theories regarding the evolution of ornithopod dinosaurs.”
“Miniaturization does not imply evolutionary simplicity. This skull is distinctive and highly specialized,” added Dr. Marcos Becerra from the National University of Córdoba.
“Foskeia pelendonum bridges a 70-million-year gap, serving as a small key to unlock a vast chapter of evolutionary history,” remarked Dr. Thierry Tortosa, a paleontologist at the Sainte-Victoire Nature Reserve.
“This is not a ‘mini’ iguanodon; it’s fundamentally different,” emphasized Dr. Tabata Zanesco Ferreira from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
“Its anatomy is peculiar in a way that fundamentally alters the evolutionary tree,” said Dr. Penélope Cursado-Caballero from the University of La Laguna.
The fossilized remnants of at least five individuals of Foskeia pelendonum were excavated from the Vegaguete site in Burgos, Spain.
“This site is part of the Castrillo de la Reina Formation, located between Villanueva de Calazo and Salas de los Infantes,” the researchers noted.
Histological analysis confirmed that the largest specimen was a sexually mature adult.
“The microstructure of the bones suggests that at least one individual was an adult with a metabolic rate akin to that of small mammals and birds,” said Dr. Cohen Stein from Vrije Universiteit Bruxelles.
“Understanding growth and development is vital for comparing anatomical structures within Foskeia pelendonum and other species.”
“Juveniles often exhibit anatomical changes as they mature.”
Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Foskeia pelendonum is closely related to the Australian dinosaur Muttaburasaurus, extending the European clade Rhabdodontia.
“Our findings indicate that herbivorous dinosaurs comprise a natural group called Phytodinosauria,” stated Dr. Paul-Emile Dieudonné from the National University of Rio Negro.
“This hypothesis requires further examination with additional data.”
Despite its modest size, Foskeia pelendonum exhibits specialized dentition and postural changes during growth, adapting for rapid movement through dense vegetation.
“These fossils illustrate that significant evolutionary experiments occurred at both small and large body sizes,” Dieudonné concluded.
“The future of dinosaur research relies on recognizing the significance of small details.”
The discovery of Foskeia pelendonum is detailed in a research paper published in the journal Paleontology Papers.
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l-Emile Dieudonné et al. 2026. Foskeia pelendonum, a new rhabdodontomorph from the Early Cretaceous of Salas de los Infantes (Burgos Province, Spain), and a new lineage of ornithischian dinosaurs. Paleontology Papers 12 (1): e70057; doi: 10.1002/spp2.70057
Source: www.sci.news
