Isle of Wight fossil sheds light on enigmatic meat-eating dinosaurs

A rare fossil of a tiger-sized predator from 120 million years ago is shedding light on an enigmatic group of meat-eating dinosaurs. The partial skull of the species named Invictibellatrix amberina belongs to the lineage of Cretaceous Period carnivorous dinosaurs called megaraptorans. This is the first known megaraptoran from Europe, providing insights into the group's global spread and early skull anatomy.

Researchers estimate Invictibellatrix to be about 16 feet long and weigh as much as a large tiger. The creature may have had filament-like feathers covering its body. Megaraptorans, part of the theropod group, were known for their slender heads, long strong arms with massive hand claws, and lightweight skeletons. These traits suggest that megaraptorans were agile hunters capable of catching prey with their strong arms and killing them using their claws.

Invictibellatrix, being the smallest known megaraptoran, may have hunted smaller prey like mammals, reptiles, and baby dinosaurs. Larger megaraptorans likely targeted bigger plant-eating dinosaurs. The fossil, discovered over a century ago, was recently rediscovered in the Natural History Museum in London. According to the researchers, Invictibellatrix would have been a more significant threat to humans than Tyrannosaurus Rex due to its smaller size and agility.