Spanish archeologists proposed a new species of spinosaurid based on a specimen found in Castellón, Spain, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. The authors believe this new species suggests that the Iberian peninsula may have been a diverse area for medium and large dinosaurs.
Spinosaurids refer to a group of large dinosaurs that stand on two feet and are carnivores. Examples include Spinosaurus and Baryonyx. Researchers believe these dinosaurs originated in Europe and then migrated to Africa and Asia, but evidence of their existence in Spain is mostly based on tooth remains.
Andrés Santos‑Cubedo and his team analysed fossil fragments discovered in Spain’s Arcillas de Morella Formation. The right jaw bone, one tooth, and five vertebrae were dated to the late Barremian, Early Cretaceous period (between 127 and 126 million years ago). Based on a comparative analysis with other spinosaurids, the team believes it’s not only a new species but also a new genus of spinosaurid and named it Protathlitis cinctorrensis. The authors decided to call the genus Protathlitis, meaning “champion” in Greek, and used cinctorrensis for the name as a reference to the town in which the specimen was uncovered — Conctorres.
The authors suggest that this new species shows that spinosaurids evolved during the Early Cretaceous in Laurasia (a large area of land in the northern hemisphere), with two sub-groups occupying western Europe. These dinosaurs may have later migrated to Africa and Asia, where they further diversified into other species. In Europe, baryonychines like Protathlitis were the most predominant type. In contrast, in Africa, conditions were more favourable for spinosaurines like Spinosaurus.
Santos-Cubedo, A., de Santisteban, C., Poza, B. et al. A new spinosaurid dinosaur species from the Early Cretaceous of Cinctorres (Spain). Sci Rep 13, 6471 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33418-2