Dog-Sized Dinosaur Fossil Discovered, Revealing New Insights into Prehistoric Life
Scientists discovered Enigmacursor, a dog-sized dinosaur that lived 150 million years ago alongside giants, revealing new insights into ancient ecosystems.
image for illustrative purpose
Scientists have uncovered fossils of a new dog-sized dinosaur species, Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae, that lived alongside giant dinosaurs like the Stegosaurus around 150 million years ago. This discovery highlights the rich diversity of dinosaur ecosystems and challenges previous assumptions about dinosaur dominance.
Published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the study reveals that Enigmacursor—meaning “puzzling runner”—was about the size of a modern Labrador retriever, measuring approximately 64 cm tall and 180 cm long, with a notably long tail and larger feet. Initially thought to be a species of Nanosaurus, further analysis confirmed it as a distinct species.
Researchers examined the original Nanosaurus specimen in the U.S. but found it too incomplete for accurate classification, prompting the reclassification of Enigmacursor. Despite its small size, this dinosaur thrived among massive herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs, indicating complex interactions in prehistoric ecosystems.
Currently displayed at the Natural History Museum, the discovery of Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae offers valuable insights into dinosaur evolution, diversity, and behavior. It challenges the belief that large dinosaurs solely dominated their habitats, emphasizing the important ecological roles smaller species played millions of years ago.
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