Giant 26-foot dinosaur nicknamed ‘Britney’ that was as heavy as a found car
A giant meat-eating dinosaur that lived 120 million years ago has been found – sparking a scientific mystery.
Part of the long-extinct carnivore’s skeleton was found by scientists who say it may have stalked its prey.
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The dinosaur is officially called Riojavenatrix, but has been nicknamed “Britney” by the team that worked on it.
It was found in La Rioja, Spain, and is part of a group of dinosaurs known as spinosaurids.
Scientists think it would have been between 7 and 8 meters long and weighed 1,500 kg – slightly less than a Toyota Camry.
“The new genus and species, which we have named Britney, is based on a partial skeleton,” said Erik Isasmendi, a researcher at the University of the Basque Country.
“Consisting of the remains of the hind legs (femur, tibia, fibula, ankle bones and phalanges of the foot), the pelvis (pubis and ischium), in addition to vertebral remains.
“The combination of anatomical functions make it unique and that means it can be distinguished from other spinosaurids.”
Spinosaurids were medium to large dinosaurs with low and elongated skulls.
Their jaws were conical crocodile style teethand “long, robust” arms with three-fingered hands – each ending in “powerful claws”.
Some members of the species also had a dorsal sail – a spiny-fin-like feature on the back.
Scientists believe the Iberian Peninsula – where Britney was found – was home to a large and diverse range of carnivorous dinosaurs.
This has confused scientists, with researchers vowing to investigate how they all managed to live side by side.
“How could these species coexist?” asked Elena Cuesta, researcher at the Museum of Paleontology Egidio Feruglio.
“These types of questions prompt us to reconsider future, more detailed studies of spinosaurids, which will certainly yield significant results.”
Scientists say the group of spinosaurids may have originated in Western Europe during the Upper Jurassic period.
Remains of the species have been found in Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Why did the dinosaurs become extinct?
This is what you need to know…
- The extermination of the dinosaurs was a sudden mass extinction on Earth
- About 66 million years ago, it wiped out about three-quarters of the planet’s plant and animal species
- This event marked the end of the Cretaceous Period and opened the Cenozoic Era, which we are still in today
- Scientists generally believe that a huge comet or asteroid about 15 kilometers wide crashed into Earth and destroyed the planet
- This impact would have led to a prolonged ‘impact winter’, causing serious damage to plant life and the food chain that depended on it
- More recent research shows that this impact ‘fueled’ major volcanic activity, which also led to the wipeout of life
- Some studies have suggested that the number of dinosaurs was already declining due to climate changes
- But a study published in March 2019 claims that dinosaurs likely “thrived” before the extinction