New Dog-Sized Dinosaur Species Discovered: Enigmacursor Unveiled
New dog-sized dinosaur Enigmacursor, living 150M years ago, was reclassified from Nanosaurus. It’s now displayed at London’s Natural History Museum.
image for illustrative purpose
The intriguing new dinosaur species known as Enigmacursor, which translates to "puzzling runner," was discovered by scientists. It lived in the Late Jurassic period about 150 million years ago. Originally thought to be a Nanosaurus, this recently categorised dinosaur was roughly the size of a Labrador and distinguished by its longer tail and larger feet.
Beginning tomorrow, London's Natural History Museum (NHM) will present Enigmacursor, the museum's first new dinosaur display since 2014.
Unique Characteristics and the Finding of Fossils
The dinosaur was not very intelligent, based on its small head. Its fossilised bones were crucial in establishing its status as a distinct species. "This discovery provides insight into how small early dinosaurs evolved into the large, diverse creatures known later," remarked Professor Paul Barrett of NHM.
The nearly entire skeleton was meticulously put together on a metal frame by conservators Kieran Miles and Lu Allington-Jones. Despite having tiny front arms that were probably employed for shovelling plants, Enigmacursor's powerful, thick hips suggest that it was a quick runner. Its classification as a novel species was validated by these distinctive physical characteristics.
Switching from Nanosaurus to
Since the 1870s, little dinosaurs have been categorised as Nanosaurus, which is what the skeleton was initially identified as. Nevertheless, scepticism surfaced, leading researchers to contrast the species with the original US Nanosaurus specimens. Enigmacursor was given a unique classification as a result of the finely detailed scans and photographs that showed notable variations, particularly in the leg bones.
Understanding the Diversity of Dinosaurs
The Late Jurassic era's dinosaur variety is demonstrated by the finding of Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae. This dinosaur, according to Professor Barrett, was near the cradle of larger dinosaur groups that dominated succeeding eras. Scientists can gain a better understanding of dinosaur evolution over millions of years by examining its distinctive traits in conjunction with other remains.
