The scientists performed statistical analysis on the tooth, which is stored at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery in East Sussex. They thoroughly compared its attributes with other species in the spinosaur family of dinosaurs to which it belongs. Their findings, released in the journal PeerJ, confirm the tooth doesnt match that of any recognized spinosaur species.
Task supervisor, Dr. Neil Gostling explains: “While we cant officially identify a new species from one tooth, we can state this spinosaur tooth does not match any of the existing types we understand about. Offered how numerous specific teeth exist in collections, this could be simply the idea of the iceberg and its rather possible that Britain may have when brimmed with a diverse variety of these semi-aquatic, fish-eating dinosaurs.”
The spinosaur tooth from the Wealden in south east England seen from two various angles. Credit: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
The Wealden is popular for its spinosaur fossils. Baryonyx– found in Surrey in 1983– is among the worlds most substantial spinosaur specimens, because it was the first to expose the true appearance of this crocodile-headed group. Less outstanding spinosaur remains– isolated teeth– prevail throughout the Wealden, and have actually typically been identified as belonging to Baryonyx. Nevertheless, some specialists have long presumed that this is inaccurate.
” We utilized a variety of techniques to determine this specimen, in order to check whether isolated spinosaur teeth could be referred to Baryonyx,” stated lead author Chris Barker, whose PhD focuses on the spinosaurs of southern Britain. “The tooth did not group with Baryonyx in any of our data runs. It must come from a different kind of spinosaur.”
The results reveal that unique and distantly related spinosaur types lived in the region throughout Early Cretaceous times. This supports research by the EvoPalaeoLab group, who argued in previous studies that the spinosaurs of southern England are more diverse than previously believed.
In 2021, they named the Hell Heron Ceratosuchops from the Isle of Wight, and in 2022 revealed the discovery of what may be Europes largest ever land predator, a giant understood just as the White Rock spinosaur. These several spinosaurs did not all live at the very same time, but inhabited the area throughout more than 15 million years.
” Museums themselves are places to make exciting discoveries as our understanding of specimens modifications from the time they were transferred,” said Dr. Neil Gostling. Managers are necessary to assist us navigate the cupboards and screens, helping us to unpick the often-incomplete records– either never totally recorded, or lost to time.
Co-author Darren Naish said “Dinosaur teeth protect many anatomical information, and we can utilize various analytical strategies to see how similar, or various, they are to other teeth. Our new research study reveals that formerly unrecognized spinosaur species exist in improperly understood areas of the Wealdens history, and we hope that much better remains will be discovered that improves our knowledge. Heres another suggestion that even well-studied places like southern England have the potential to yield new dinosaur species.”
Referral: “Isolated tooth exposes surprise spinosaurid dinosaur variety in the British Wealden Supergroup (Lower Cretaceous)” by Chris T. Barker, Darren Naish and Neil J. Gostling, 31 May 2023, PeerJ.DOI: 10.7717/ peerj.15453.
They diligently compared its characteristics with other species in the spinosaur household of dinosaurs to which it belongs. Their findings, published in the journal PeerJ, confirm the tooth does not match that of any identified spinosaur types.
Less excellent spinosaur remains– isolated teeth– are common throughout the Wealden, and have actually typically been identified as belonging to Baryonyx.” We utilized a range of techniques to recognize this specimen, in order to evaluate whether isolated spinosaur teeth could be referred to Baryonyx,” stated lead author Chris Barker, whose PhD focuses on the spinosaurs of southern Britain. Our new study shows that formerly unrecognized spinosaur species exist in poorly known sections of the Wealdens history, and we hope that much better remains will be found that enhances our understanding.
Artist illustration of a formerly determined spinosaur on the Isle of Wight. Credit: Anthony Hutchings
University of Southampton paleontologists found proof of diverse spinosaur species in southern England 100 million years earlier, based upon analysis of a 140 million years of age dinosaur tooth. The tooth does not match any recognized species, recommending greater spinosaur variety in the area during the Early Cretaceous duration.
Paleontologists at the University of Southampton (UK) studying a British dinosaur tooth have concluded that numerous distinct groups of spinosaurs– dinosaurs with terrifying crocodile-like skulls– lived in southern England over 100 million years back.
The team, from the Universitys EvoPalaeoLab, brought out a series of tests on the 140 million-year-old tooth, discovered in the early 20th century, in a thick, complicated rock structure named the Wealden Supergroup. The Wealden lies across south-eastern England and was formed around 140-125 million years back.
