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Isle of Wight, UK – Paleontologists have identified a new species of iguanodon dinosaur, Istiorachis macarthurae, based on fossil remains discovered on the Isle of Wight. The find sheds light on the diverse dinosaur population that thrived in the area during the Early Cretaceous period.
The discovery, detailed by researchers, indicates the Isle of Wight was a especially diverse area during the Early Cretaceous. “Iguanodonte on Wight island shows that this was a very diverse area in the Early Cretaceous,” said a researcher. “I’m sure there will be more discoveries in the coming years.”
Istiorachis macarthurae lived during a period when iguanodon dinosaurs were evolving to develop increasingly prominent neural spines – often described as “thorns” – on their backs.
Researcher Lockwood explained that these spines likely served to anchor strong muscles. “in part, we believe this was for muscle insertion,” Lockwood said. “Iguanodons were evolving from small bipedal dinosaurs to much larger animals that spent more time on all fours, so they would have needed stronger muscle support for their backbone columns.”
However, the neural spines of Istiorachis macarthurae are unusually elongated, forming a distinctive “candle-like” structure. Lockwood dismissed the idea that this structure might have been used for thermoregulation, arguing that “a candle with manny blood vessels would be very vulnerable to attacks and could cause a massive loss of blood if it is indeed damaged.”
Instead, Lockwood proposes that the spines likely functioned as a display feature for attracting mates – a form of “sexual signage.” He likened it to the elaborate tail feathers of a male turkey. “Rather, he believes that ”sexual signage is the most likely description,” which means that the candle would fulfill a function similar to the tail of a male real turkey.
