Discovery of Invictibellatrix amberina dinosaur

Researchers have identified a previously unknown species of megaraptoran dinosaur, named ‘Invictibellatrix amberina’, from a fossilized skull fragment. The specimen had been held by London’s Natural History Museum since 1924 after being discovered by an amateur collector on the Isle of Wight.

A research team led by University College London used computed tomography to create 3D models of the skull and braincase, revealing unique anatomical features such as an hourglass-shaped crest. The predator, which lived approximately 120 million years ago, is estimated to have been three to four meters long and weighed between 200 and 300 kilograms.

This discovery marks the first known European representative of the megaraptoran group, a lineage of bipedal carnivores characterized by large, muscular arms and curved claws rather than massive jaws. The findings, published in Royal Society Open Science, suggest that megaraptorans had a more widespread presence across continents earlier than previously understood and underscore the scientific importance of re-examining historical museum collections.