- Palaeontologists from University College London and the Natural History Museum have identified a new dinosaur species, Invictibellatrix amberina, using a skull fossil originally discovered on the Isle of Wight in 1924.
- The tiger-sized carnivore is the first megaraptoran discovered in Europe, providing key evidence that the agile, two-legged group of T-rex relatives migrated through the continent before reaching the southern landmass of Gondwana.
- Measuring between three to four metres long and standing around 1.5 metres tall, the feathered dinosaur hunted small animals using large arms equipped with giant curved claws up to 20cm long.
- Experts said that Invictibellatrix amberina would have been far more dangerous to humans than a T-rex, as humans would have been ideal prey size for the predator rather than ignored as too small.
- Published in Royal Society Open Science , the research used high-resolution CT scans and 3D modelling of the skull interior to confirm the specimen's unique physical traits and classification.
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