Fossils discovered on the shoreline of Lake Kariba in northwestern Zimbabwe characterize a very new species of dinosaur. This new dinosaur, a sauropodomorph, has been named Musankwa sanyatiensis. It’s only the fourth dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe. The research concerned the Pure Historical past Museum of Zimbabwe, Stony Brook College (New York) and the College of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). The analysis was led by Professor Paul Barrett of the London Pure Historical past Museum.
Artist reconstruction of Musankwa sanyatiensis, strolling in Triassic shallow waters previous a temnospondyl (metoposaur). Image credit score: Atashni Moopen.
A New Late Triassic Sauropodmorph Dinosaur
The invention of Musankwa sanyatiensis is extraordinarily important. It’s the first dinosaur to be named from the Mid-Zambezi Basin in additional than fifty years. As well as, Musankwa will assist to tell palaeontologists in regards to the evolution of Late Triassic sauropodomorphs.
The 4 dinosaurs to be named and described from fossils present in Zimbabwe are:
- Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis (a coelophysoid, previously generally known as Syntarsus and named in 1969).
- Vulcanodon karibaensis (a primitive, Early Jurassic sauropod named in 1972).
- Mbiresaurus raathi (a basal, Late Triassic sauropodomorph named in 2022).
- Musankwa sanyatiensis (a basal sauropodomorph named in 2024).
M. sanyatiensis is thought from hind leg bones which characterize a single, particular person animal. The best femur, tibia and astragalus had been distinct from all different Late Triassic massopodan sauropodomorphs, so the researchers had been assured that this was a brand new species.
One of many co-authors of the paper, Assistant Professor Kimberley Chapelle (Stony Brook College) commented:
“Regardless of the restricted fossil materials, these bones possess distinctive options that distinguish them from these of different dinosaurs dwelling on the identical time.”
Musankwa sanyatiensis fossil website location map. The geographic setting of the Mid-Zambezi Basin and Spurwing Island in northwest Zimbabwe. Image credit score: Lara Sciscio.
Musankwa sanyatiensis Named After a Houseboat
This new dinosaur was named after the houseboat “Musankwa”. The vessel was utilized by the analysis staff for lodging and as a makeshift laboratory. It was provided by David and Julie Glynn. The crew Godfrey Swalika, Simbarashe Mangoroma, By no means Mapira and Coster Katupu supplied important logistical help to the sector staff.
The houseboat “Musankwa”, the vessel that functioned as the house and cellular laboratory throughout two subject expeditions to Lake Kariba in 2017–2018, which was made accessible by way of the generosity of David and Julie Glynn, and whose crew, Coster Katupu, Godfrey Swalika, Simbarashe Mangoroma, and By no means Mapira, supplied important logistic help. Image credit score: Jonah Choiniere.
Phylogenetic evaluation locations Musankwa sanyatiensis because the earliest branching member of the Massopoda lineage of sauropodomorphs. It’s thought to have been bipedal and weighed round 390 kilograms. Though no large, Musankwa was one of many largest dinosaurs recognized from the Late Triassic of southern Africa.
African Dinosaurs
Africa has a protracted historical past of dinosaur fossil discovery. The primary dinosaur from the Southern Hemisphere was present in South Africa simply three years after Sir Richard Owen coined the time period “Dinosauria”. Remarkably, most dinosaur fossils from the continent have been present in simply ten nations. Most of those are from north Africa, from nations like Morocco and Egypt. The dinosaurs of southern Africa are poorly recognized as compared.
Professor Paul Barrett defined:
“Put merely, there have been fewer folks on the lookout for and unearthing dinosaurs as compared with different areas of the world.”
The worldwide analysis staff composed of scientists from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the UK on the Musankwa sanyatiensis fossil locality on Spurwing Island, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Image credit score: Lara Sciscio.
To learn an article in regards to the discovery of a large sauropod from Angola: A New Big Sauropod – Angolatitan.
Though there have been just a few dinosaurs named and described from southern Africa, these which were discovered are traditionally and scientifically important. Among the geologically oldest dinosaurs have been described, equivalent to Nyasasaurus parringtoni from Tanzania and Mbiresaurus raathi from Zimbabwe.
An article from 2012 outlining the importance of Nyasasaurus parringtoni to dinosaur analysis: Placing Again the Date of the First Dinosaurs to Evolve.
The analysis staff commented that the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic sediments of Zimbabwe are essential for understanding the Finish-Triassic extinction. This was a catastrophic occasion that dramatically reshaped Earth’s biodiversity round 200 million years in the past. The geology supplies insights into how totally different fossil-bearing sediments all over the world correspond in age and assist in piecing collectively the worldwide image of historical life.
Musankwa sanyatiensis leg bones as they had been found within the floor on Spurwing Island, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Image credit score: Paul Barrett.
Musankwa sanyatiensis Highlighting the Untapped Potential of Southern Africa
The formal description of Musankwa sanyatiensis highlights the latent potential of southern Africa. It’s doubtless that many extra important fossil discoveries can be made.
Professor Paul Barrett commented:
“Over the past six years, many new fossil websites have been recorded in Zimbabwe, yielding a various array of prehistoric animals, together with the primary sub-Saharan mainland African phytosaurs [ancient crocodile-like reptiles], metoposaurid amphibians [giant armoured amphibians], lungfish, and different reptile stays.”
As extra components of southern Africa are explored for prehistoric animal fossils, there may be hope that extra necessary discoveries can be made. These fossils will make clear dinosaur evolution and the ecosystems they inhabited.
Dr Kimberley Chapelle added:
“Based mostly on the place it sits on the dinosaur household tree, Musankwa sanyatiensis is the primary dinosaur of its type from Zimbabwe. It, subsequently, highlights the potential of the area for additional palaeontological discoveries.”
Musankwa sanyatiensis fossil bones in situ, after mechanical preparation, and after CT scanning. Artist reconstruction of Musankwa sanyatiensis displaying place of fossil bones. Image credit score: Barrett et al. 2024, Atashni Moopen.
Every thing Dinosaur acknowledges the help of a media launch by the College of the Witwatersrand within the compilation of this text.
The scientific paper: “A brand new Late Triassic sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Mid-Zambezi Basin, Zimbabwe” by Barrett, P.M., Chapelle, Ok.E.J., Sciscio, L., Broderick, T.J., Zondo, M., Munyikwa, D., and Choiniere, J.N. Printed in Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
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