A brand new species of spinosaurid named Protathlitis cinctorrensis has been described from fossils present in Castellón Province in north-eastern Spain. The dinosaur is estimated to have measured round ten to eleven metres in size. It has been described primarily based on a proper maxilla and 5, sturdy tail bones (caudal vertebrae) excavated from the Decrease Cretaceous Arcillas de Morella Formation. As well as, a beforehand described tooth has been assigned to this species.
The invention of one other European spinosaurid taxon provides weight to the speculation that these theropods originated in Laurasia. Later, through the Barremian-Aptian faunal levels, these dinosaurs migrated into Africa and Asia, the place they diversified.
In Europe, the baryonchines dominated, while in Africa, it was the spinosaurines that have been most plentiful.
Protathlitis cinctorrensis Honouring Villarreal C.F.
Writing within the educational journal “Scientific Reviews” the researchers suggest that this dinosaur is nested with the Spinosauridae household as a basal baryonychine. As such, it’s the first baryonychine dinosaur species identified from the Arcillas de Morella Formation.
The genus Protathlitis was named in reference to the UEFA Europa League title gained by the Spanish soccer membership Villarreal C.F. in 2021. It’s also a tribute to the membership centenary celebrated this yr (2023).
All the pieces Dinosaur contacted one of many authors of the research, curious to seek out out extra in regards to the Villarreal C.F connection.
Andrés Santos-Cubedo defined that the dinosaur’s identify celebrates the UEFA Europa League title.
He added:
“As a result of three of the scientists who wrote the paper, reside in Villarreal, and certainly one of us was on the last in Gdansk (Poland).”
The species identify for this dinosaur, “cinctorrensis” is devoted to Cinctorres and its inhabitants. This municipality is within the Els Ports area inside the province of Castellón.
A Various Dinosaur Fauna
The invention of P. cinctorrensis will assist palaeontologists to higher perceive the evolutionary historical past of this enigmatic theropod group. As well as, it confirms that the Iberian Peninsula within the Early Cretaceous was house to a extremely numerous dinosaur fauna. Dinosaurs described from this area embody iguanodontids, titanosaurs, hypsilophodonts in addition to a second spinosaurid – Vallibonavenatrix cani. V. cani is the primary member of the spinosaurine subfamily to be described from fossils discovered within the Arcillas de Morella Formation.
All the pieces Dinosaur acknowledges the help of a media launch and private correspondence with one of many authors of the research within the compilation of this text.
The scientific paper: “A brand new spinosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous of Cinctorres (Spain)” by Andrés Santos-Cubedo and Carlos de Santisteban printed in Scientific Reviews.