The richness that the Spanish archaeological heritage treasures has been expanded with the description of a new species of dinosaur, a bipedal and carnivorous Spinosaurus, whose first fossil remains appeared on a site in the Castilian city of Cinctorres.
The identification of this new species already suggests that the Iberian Peninsula could have been a very diverse area for medium or large-sized spinosaurs, and sheds light on the origin and evolution of these dinosaurs, underlined the main researchers of the work after the Publication of their findings in Scientific Reports.
They named it Protathlitis cinctorrensis, because on the one hand “Protathlitis” (“champion” in Greek) refers to the UEFA Europa League title that Villareal CF won in 2021 and serves as a tribute to the club’s centenary, which is celebrated in 2023. Meanwhile, “cinctorrensis” represents the recognition of the city and the inhabitants of the place where the fossil remains were found.
The identification of this new species suggests that the Iberian Peninsula may have been a very diverse area for spinosaurs.
The researchers analyzed fossil fragments -a right jaw, a tooth and five tail vertebrae- discovered in the Arcillas de Morella Formation and, based on them, determined that it was a specimen measuring 10 to 11 meters in length and 2 tons in weight, also different from other previously encountered spinosaurs.
The main researcher on the work, Andrés Santos-Cubedo, dated the fossil remains found in the Berremian period —in the lower Cretaceous, between 127 and 126 million years ago— and explained that in the same Cinctorres site they have already found almost a thousand fossil remains of at least two arnithopod dinosaurs (which ate plants), a sauropod (quadruped dinosaur with a long neck and tail), and two theropods (carnivores), including the new species.
Fossils of other Mesozoic vertebrates (era of dinosaurs), such as fish, sharks or crocodiles, appeared in the same place
In addition to dinosaurs, fossils of other Mesozoic vertebrates (era of dinosaurs) have already appeared in the same place, such as fish, sharks or crocodiles, according to the paleontologist, who also points to the real possibility of finding more fossil remains of the new dinosaur that was found, described now, since the excavations have not yet been completed and a new campaign will start next year.
Santos-Cubedo evaluated that this is a particularly relevant finding, since fossils of carnivores are less abundant than those of their plant-eating relatives, and classified the region of Els Ports (Castellón) as a “crucial area” for the study of dinosaurs from the lower Cretaceous, since with that there are four new species that have been described by science.
A group of paleontologists working at the site of Cinctorres (Castellón) where the fossil remains of the new dinosaur appeared / Grup Guix de Villareal
A bipedal, carnivorous Spinosaurus
Spinosaurid theropods are carnivorous dinosaurs that were characterized by walking on their two hind legs, while on their arms they had strong claws to catch their prey. Its conical teeth were located in an elongated snout very similar to that of crocodiles, explained the paleontologist.
Investigations carried out in recent decades suggest that spinosaurids may have originated in Europe and then migrated to Africa and Asia, and the evidence for their existence in Spain is mainly based on fossilized tooth remains.
Evidence of their existence in Spain is mainly based on fossilized tooth remains.
The importance of the deposit is the capital. The researcher recalled that two years ago he published a work in which the fossil remains of a dinosaur were revealed, also unknown until then and similar to an “iguanodon” (giant iguana).
Paleontologists and researchers from the Universidad Jaime I de Castellón and the association Grup Guix de Villareal participated in the research published by Scientific Reports.
Reference:
Santos-Cubedo, A. et al. A new species of spinosaurid dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Cinctorres (Spain). Scientific Reports (2023)
