A rare Middle Jurassic dinosaur skeleton, the most complete of its kind ever found in Scotland

A groundbreaking discovery has been made on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, where scientists have uncovered the most complete Middle Jurassic dinosaur skeleton ever found in the country. This rare and valuable find is believed to be around 166 million years old and represents an important addition to the fossil record from a period that has long been underrepresented in paleontological studies. This discovery is detailed in a new study published in the Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, shedding new light on the evolution of dinosaurs during the Middle Jurassic period.

A Major Discovery in the Middle Jurassic

The Middle Jurassic (approximately 166 million years ago) was a time of significant evolution for dinosaurs, marking a period of dramatic diversification. Dr. Elsa Panciroli, a paleobiologist at National Museums Scotland, explained, “Dinosaurs from the Triassic and Early Jurassic were generally small, bipedal carnivores and omnivores, but by the Late Jurassic they had radiated into a highly diverse range of species that included some of the largest terrestrial vertebrates to ever walk the Earth.”

As Dr. Panciroli pointed out, “This major diversification and radiation of dinosaurs appears to have primarily occurred during the Middle Jurassic, making dinosaurs from this time interval critical to our understanding of the drivers of this radiation.” Yet, fossils from this period are “exceptionally poorly known and globally rare,” a factor that has hindered efforts to understand the complete evolution of dinosaurs.

The Importance of the Kilmaluag Formation

The Kilmaluag Formation on the Isle of Skye has increasingly become a critical site for understanding the Middle Jurassic period. This formation has yielded several important dinosaur fossils, and the discovery of this partial skeleton has further solidified its importance. The fossil was discovered in 1973 but wasn’t collected until 2018, when researchers realized the specimen’s significance. The bones and bone fragments of this ornithischian dinosaur were found in a single bedding plane, measuring approximately 60 cm by 40 cm, which makes it the most complete dinosaur fossil ever found in Scotland.

Filling the Gaps in Dinosaur Evolution

Middle Jurassic dinosaur fossils are incredibly rare, and most of the early evolutionary histories of many dinosaur groups are still poorly understood. As the paleontologists behind this discovery noted, “Consequently, the early evolutionary histories and major diversifications of most dinosaur groups remain obscure.” New findings like this one are vital to piecing together the broader narrative of how dinosaurs evolved and diversified during this critical time.

Understanding Dinosaur-Dominated Ecosystems

This fossil is not only important because it contributes to the understanding of dinosaur evolution but also because it helps researchers better understand the ecosystems that dominated the Earth during the Middle Jurassic. “New dinosaur finds from the Middle Jurassic are therefore highly significant for our understanding of the development of dinosaur-dominated ecosystems,” the researchers noted.

Source;IndianDefencereview  

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