A new dinosaur species has been identified in England.
The bones of Comptonatus chasei, a herbivore that lived 125 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, were first found in 2013 on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England in the cliffs of Compton Bay. However, the dinosaur had not previously been identified.
The skeleton – comprising a total of 149 bones – is believed to be the most complete dinosaur found in the UK in the past 100 years.
Comptonatus chasei is named after the late fossil hunter Nick Chase, who found the bones.
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The illustration by artist John Sibbick shows Comptonatus chasei, a new species of herbivorous dinosaur whose fossils were found on England’s Isle of Wight. (John Sibbick/Handout via Reuters)
“Nick had a phenomenal nose for finding dinosaur bones. … This is a truly remarkable find,” Jeremy Lockwood, a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth who was involved in the dig, said in a statement.
He added: “It helps us understand more about the different types of dinosaurs that lived in England in the Early Cretaceous.”
Comptonatus chasei, a member of a group of dinosaurs called iguanodontia, would have weighed about 2,000 pounds, equal to a large male American bison, Lockwood said.
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This image shows the pubic bone of Comptonatus chasei, a new species of herbivorous dinosaur whose fossils were excavated on the Isle of Wight, England. (University of Portsmouth/Handout via Reuters)
Just two years ago, what may be Europe’s largest carnivorous dinosaur was discovered on the Isle of Wight.
“The size of the specimen is impressive. It is one of the largest, and possibly the largest, known land predators ever to have roamed Europe,” said Chris Barker, a PhD student in palaeontology at the University of Southampton.
The bones were found on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England. (DeAgostini/Getty Images)
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The dinosaur, which also lived in the Cretaceous period, belonged to the Spinosaurus group.
Reuters contributed to this report.