Brief
New megaraptoran species Invictibellatrix amberina identified from century‑old Isle of Wight fossil
The species, named Invictibellatrix amberina, lived about 120 million years ago and was a tiger‑sized predator with long arms and curved claws.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Scientists have named a previously unknown dinosaur species, Invictibellatrix amberina, after examining a fossil that had sat unnoticed in the Natural History Museum in London for nearly a century.
What happened
The fossil, a fragment of a braincase recovered in 1924 on the Isle of Wight, was re‑examined by a University College London team led by Dr. Cassius Morrison. Using CT scanning to create a 3‑D model, the researchers compared the specimen with other theropods and identified distinctive features that warranted a new species designation.
What the reports add
CBS News reported that the dinosaur belonged to the megaraptoran group, two‑legged carnivores closely related to tyrannosaurs. It estimated the animal’s length at 10–13 feet (3–4 metres) and height at about 5 feet (1.5 metres), noting that it likely bore feathers and hunted smaller dinosaurs, lizards and mammals.
What was said
Dr. Morrison told CBS News the find was “a real mystery that the fossil was overlooked for so long.” He added that, unlike T. rex, Invictibellatrix would have attacked with its long arms and giant curved claws, saying, “We would have been perfectly sized prey, about a third of their body weight… They definitely would have chased us.”
How it came about
The specimen was part of a batch of 1,000 fossils collected by Reginald Walter Tooley in 1924 and stored in a museum drawer. Earlier Felo coverage (new‑t‑rex‑relative‑isle‑of‑wight‑fossil) highlighted the same skull fragment before its formal naming. The new study, published in Royal Society Open Science, provides the first detailed description and the Latin name, meaning “unconquered female warrior.”
Key facts
- The new species is named Invictibellatrix amberina. (cbsnews.com)
- The fossil is a fragment of a braincase found on the Isle of Wight in 1924. (cbsnews.com)
- Researchers estimate the dinosaur was 10–13 feet long and about 5 feet tall. (cbsnews.com)
- It belonged to the megaraptoran group, close relatives of tyrannosaurs. (cbsnews.com)
- Dr. Cassius Morrison led the study and said the animal would have hunted with its claws. (cbsnews.com)
Sources
- [1] cbsnews.com — originally reported as “New dinosaur species, a T. rex cousin that "would have chased us," identified from fossil found 100 years ago”
