Could a daily beach walk on the Isle of Wight reveal a new dinosaur species?
In short: The Isle of Wight is a hotspot for prehistoric remains, where stormy winters erode cliffs to expose fossils. Local palaeontologist Megan Jacobs recently discovered a near-complete specimen that might be a new species. By meticulously collecting bone fragments from the same bed, she is piecing together a potential Iguanodon relative.
The Isle of Wight, often called Dinosaur Island, is a premier location for fossil hunting. Its rocks, dating back approximately 130 million years, contain a vast array of prehistoric life, including flying reptiles, crocodiles, and various dinosaurs. High erosion rates, particularly during stormy winter months, frequently reveal these remains on the beaches. Megan Jacobs, a lifelong collector and co-founder of Wight Coast Fossils, has spent consecutive winters scouring these shores, eventually identifying a cluster of bones that shared consistent size and preservation, suggesting they belonged to a single individual.
Working alongside her father, Jacobs painstakingly recovered chunks of bone from the mud, eventually identifying a tibia. As the fragments were assembled, they realized they were close to having a nearly complete animal. Jacobs consulted Jeremy Lockwood, a PhD student and expert in iguanodontians, to verify the find. Lockwood, who previously described the dinosaur Brighstoneus and identified two new spinosaurs in 2021, noted that the specimen resembles a gracile, gazelle-like herbivore measuring four to five metres in length. The discovery is currently being evaluated to determine if it represents a known species or something entirely new to science.
The specimen is suspected to be an Iguanodon or a close relative. The Iguanodon genus belongs to the Iguanodontia family, which lived during the Early Cretaceous Period, roughly 145 million to 100.5 million years ago. These plant-eaters are famous for their spike-like thumbs, which may have served as defensive weapons or tools for foraging. First described about 200 years ago by Mary Ann and Gideon Mantell, the Iguanodon has a complex taxonomic history, with many species previously assigned to the genus now being reclassified. With over 20 types of dinosaurs already identified on the island, experts believe many more remain hidden within the rocks, waiting to be uncovered by dedicated hunters.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: I found a dinosaur | Field Studies
- Also: What happens when you find a dinosaur? | Natural History Museum
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