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Triops Longicaudatus Red
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Sensational dinosaur find in Scotland: Oldest ornithopod fossil discovered?
Researchers have made an extraordinary discovery on the Isle of Skye in Scotland: They discovered a dinosaur fossil that is possibly the oldest evidence of its kind to date. This discovery has the potential to provide completely new insights into the evolution of herbivorous dinosaurs.
The fossil, which was christened ‘Elgol Dinosaur’ by the researchers after the nearby town, dates back to the Middle Jurassic period and is around 166 million years old. It is the most complete dinosaur fossil ever excavated in Scotland. They probably belonged to a herbivorous dinosaur that was about the size of a pony and was at least eight years old when it died.
Scotland’s window into the Jurassic period
The Isle of Skye has long been recognised as one of the most important sites for fossils from the Middle Jurassic period, an era that is only sparsely documented in the world’s fossil archives. In addition to numerous footprints, the remains of a wide variety of animal species have also been discovered on the island, providing valuable insights into the ecosystem of that time.
‘This discovery is another milestone for palaeontology in Scotland,’ explains Stig Walsh, Senior Curator of Vertebrate Palaeobiology at National Museums Scotland. ‘It not only expands our knowledge of the dinosaurs that lived there, but also of the development of entire animal groups during the Jurassic.’
Decades of patience and costly salvage
The actual discovery of the fossil dates back several decades. Although the remains were known, they were long considered unrecoverable due to their inaccessible location. It was only thanks to the tireless efforts of palaeontologist Elsa Panciroli that the fossil was finally recovered.
“The recovery was extremely complicated. For a long time, experts thought it was impossible to remove it,” reports Panciroli, who is a research fellow at National Museums Scotland. “I was convinced that this fossil could be of great scientific importance. That’s why we dared to try again.”
Thanks to a dedicated team and considerable logistical efforts, it was finally possible to remove the remains from the rock intact.
Possibly the oldest evidence for ornithopods
Scientists then analysed the fossil in the laboratories of National Museums Scotland and other research institutions using state-of-the-art methods, including detailed micro-CT scans. These allow three-dimensional insights into the bone structure without damaging the valuable fossil.
The findings so far suggest that the bones belong to a representative of the Cerapoda, a group of herbivorous dinosaurs that also includes the well-known ornithopods. These include the well-known Iguanodon and other species with a bird-like pelvic structure and beak-like mouth.
‘Certain anatomical features suggest that it could be an early ornithopod,’ explains Susie Maidment from the Natural History Museum in London. So far, ornithopods are mainly known from the Cretaceous period, a fossil from the Middle Jurassic period would push this time span back significantly.
If the assumption is confirmed, the team may have discovered the world’s oldest known body fossil of this dinosaur group. Further analyses should now provide definitive clarity.
The discovery marks a significant step in the study of Scotland’s dinosaurs and could provide new insights into the evolution of Jurassic herbivores.
