Palaeontology

Carnivorous dinosaur goes on show in Wales

By T.K. Randall
June 9, 2015 ·  13 comments

The new species is a first for Wales. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Frank Vincentz Originally discovered on a beach by fossil hunting brothers Nick and Rob Hanigan, the small therapod dinosaur was a distant cousin of Tyrannosaurus rex and roamed the planet at the beginning of the Jurassic Period around 200 million years ago.

Standing just 50cm tall the new dinosaur is not only the first meat-eater to have been found in Wales but is also one of the oldest Jurassic fossils found anywhere in the world.

Jurassic dinosaur skeleton found on south Wales coast unveiled http://t.co/PcqRSL1QeO pic.twitter.com/T6rszLWK7r

— BBC Wales News (@BBCWalesNews) June 9, 2015

Researchers are still studying the specimen and have yet to assign it a name but have revealed that it appears to be a young individual because some of its bones are not yet fully formed.

It's small blade-like teeth also suggest that it feasted upon insects and small mammals.

Source: BBC News | Comments (13)

Tags: Dinosaur, Wales