New Dinosaur Species Invictibellatrix Discovered From 100-Year-Old Isle of Wight Fossil
Invictibellatrix amberina Identified as First European Megaraptoran From 1924 Isle of Wight Skull
Palaeontologists have identified a new tiger-sized dinosaur species, named Invictibellatrix amberina, from a fossil skull that sat in a museum drawer for nearly a century. The specimen, acquired by the Natural History Museum in 1924 after being discovered at the foot of a cliff on the south-west coast of the Isle of Wight by amateur palaeontologist Reginald Walter Tooley, marks the first time researchers have found evidence of a megaraptoran in Europe.
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The Tech TL;DR:
- Researchers at University College London identified Invictibellatrix amberina using high-resolution CT scans and 3D skull modelling.
- The carnivorous dinosaur lived during the early Cretaceous period roughly 120 million years ago and measured three to four metres in length.
- The fossil had been held at the Natural History Museum since 1924 before scientists formally recognized its unique cranial morphology.
CT Scans Identify Invictibellatrix Amberina
Lead author Dr Cassius Morrison of UCL Earth Sciences noted the oversight of the specimen, stating, “It is a real mystery that this fossil was overlooked for so long, sitting in a drawer for nearly 100 years.” To classify the remains, the research team conducted a CT scan of the fossil to construct a precise 3D model of the braincase and skull fragments. They contrasted these structural features directly with skulls from tyrannosaurs, spinosaurs, raptors, and other bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs.
The resulting phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Invictibellatrix amberina—a name translating to “unconquered female warrior”—exhibited distinct cranial adaptations. Megaraptors are regarded as the most mysterious of the large meat-eating dinosaurs due to an historically sparse fossil record. The study indicates these agile predators originated in Asia and migrated through Europe to southern landmasses prior to their eventual northern extinction.
Physical Traits Suggest a Hyena-Like Ecological Role
Reconstructions show the dinosaur stood just over a metre and a half in height—roughly equivalent to a human—and reached lengths between three and four metres. Biological modeling indicates the animal possessed feathers and large, curved claws measuring 10cm to 20cm in length. Its diet consisted primarily of small dinosaurs, lizards, and mammals, occupying an ecological role in the food chain comparable to that of a modern hyena.
Regarding potential interactions, Dr Morrison observed that while the creature was not the apex predator of its era, human presence would have placed individuals well within its optimal prey demographic. “We would have been perfectly sized prey, about a third of their body weight,” Dr Morrison explained. “They definitely would have chased us.” This contrasts with larger apex predators like Tyrannosaurus rex, which would have likely ignored human-sized targets as they would have been too small.
Funding for the research was provided by the Palaeontographical Society, the Royal Society, and UK Research and Innovation, with the formal findings published in Royal Society Open Science.