Madrid, 22 (European press)
A new species of predatory dinosaur has been described in Portugal from the remains of a previously discovered Spinosaurus in the Cabo Speciale region of Sesimbra.
The discovery, published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, by paleontologists Octávio Mateus and Darío Estraviz-López, researchers from the NOVA School of Science and Technology and the Lourinhã Museum, points to a new dinosaur, called Iberospinus natarioi, which means “Iberian backbone.” Among other characters, Iberospinus has a unique jaw configuration, with different internal channels and a straight jaw instead of an upward-pointing tip seen in related dinosaurs.
Iberospinus natarioi is the third named spinosaurid dinosaur in the Iberian Peninsula after Camarillasaurus cirugedae (not initially recognized as a spinosaurid) and Vallibonavenatrix cani. It joins some of the oldest members of the group, such as those discovered in Britain (including two recently described species from southern England and the famous Baryonyx), raising the possibility that spinosaurs first appeared in Western Europe.
Paleontologists have conducted a 3D scan of the dinosaur that can be downloaded for free. “This will help paleontologists, museums and hobbyists. We can 3D print bones,” explains Octavio Mateus, professor and researcher in the Department of Earth Sciences.
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