Spike-Thumbed Dino Discovered in the United Kingdom
The swamp-dwelling iguanodon relative may have been dinner for spinosaurs The post Spike-Thumbed Dino Discovered in the United Kingdom appeared first on Nautilus .
In a surprising discovery, a new dinosaur species was identified from a museum collection in England. The fossilized remains, belonging to an iguanodon relative named Paludohadros proudlovii, were unearthed in Surrey, the country's first of its kind. Named after a former quarry worker, Will Proudlove, the species is estimated to have weighed between 3,300 to 4,400 pounds when it was alive, around 125 million years ago.
Characteristic thumbspikes covered its body, and it primarily consumed plant-based food. Its genus name, Paludohadros, means "swamp-dweller," highlighting the marsh-like environment that once thrived in England during the Cretaceous period. Remarkably, the same quarry site also housed the remains of a Baryonyx walkeri, a spinosaur known for its fish-eating habits.
The fossils of this predator were found just 100 meters away from Paludohadros, suggesting a possible interaction between the two species. The spinosaur's last meal included a baby iguanodontian, hinting at the carnivorous dinosaur's dietary preferences. The researchers are now analyzing the Natural History Museum's collections to identify more potential new dinosaur species, which could further enrich our understanding of prehistoric life.
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