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British scientists believe that a new species of one of the most recognizable types of dinosaurs is also the oldest of its kind to have been discovered.
The remains of a Stegosaurus, an armored dinosaur immediately recognizable by the plate-shaped bones protruding from its spine and spikes on its tails, have been studied by a team at the Natural History Museum and belong to a new genre. who traveled the earth about 168 months ago. .
Despite the specimen comprising only a few vertebrae and an arm bone, the scientists concluded that it was a new species and a new genus dating back to the Middle Jurassic period, much earlier than most known stegosaurs.
The team, led by Dr. Susannah Maidment, appointed her Adratiklit boulahfa, meaning "mountain lizard" in the Berber language.
Boulahfa is a reference to the region in the Middle Atlas Mountains in Morocco where the specimen was found.
"The discovery of Adratiklit boulahfa This is particularly exciting because we have dated it from the Middle Jurassic, "said Maidment.
"Most known stegosaurs date much later in the Jurassic period, making it the oldest definitive stegosaur described and helping to enhance our understanding of the evolution of this group of dinosaurs."
The specimen is the first stegosaurus, a thyrophore dinosaur, found in North Africa. The team explained that thyrophorous dinosaurs are widespread in most parts of the globe and are mainly attributed to Laurasian rock formations.
This suggested that when the Earth was split into two supercontinents, Laurasia and Gondwana, thyrophores were more common and diverse in Laurasia. But the recent discovery could challenge that.
Maidment added, "Most stegosaurs we know, including Sophie, the most complete stegosaur discovered at the Natural History Museum, were found in Laurasian rock formations.
"This does not mean, however, that stegosaurs are not so common in Gondwana, but perhaps in fact because Gondwana's rock formations have been much less excavated and excavated. Detailed studies. "
The team said the discovery adds to the theory that Gondwana's fossil record of armored dinosaurs is heavily biased by geological factors and collection efforts.
Maidment said: "What's exciting about this is that there could be many more thyrophore dinosaurs to be found in places that have not been up to now." searched. "
Other discoveries in the area will help to better understand the distribution of this group of dinosaurs and could give a more complete sample of Adratiklit boulahfasaid the team.
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