Scientists have discovered the fossilized remains of a 210-million-year-old dinosaur in Zimbabwe, naming the new species Mbiresaurus raathi. According to research published in the journal Nature on August 31, 2022, this newly identified sauropodomorph represents the oldest definitive dinosaur skeleton ever found in Africa.
Unearthing Mbiresaurus raathi in Zimbabwe
The fossil was recovered from the Pebbly Arkose Formation in the Mid Zambezi Basin of northern Zimbabwe during excavations led by an international team of paleontologists from Virginia Tech, the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, and the University of Washington. According to Virginia Tech, the animal measured roughly six feet long, walked on two legs, and weighed between 20 and 65 pounds. The specimen is nearly complete, lacking only parts of the hand and portions of the skull.
Geographic Isolation and Dinosaur Evolution
The discovery sheds light on the early distribution and migration of dinosaurs during the Late Triassic period. According to the Nature study, Mbiresaurus raathi lived during the Carnian stage, roughly 230 to 210 million years ago, when all Earth’s landmasses were united into the supercontinent Pangea. Researchers noted that early dinosaurs were restricted to specific climate belts at the same latitudes, explaining why similar fossils appear in South America, India, and now southern Africa along the same paleolatitude.
FAQ
- When was Mbiresaurus raathi discovered? Excavations took place across two field seasons in 2017 and 2019, with formal descriptions published in August 2022.
- What type of dinosaur is it? It belongs to Sauropodomorpha, the group of long-necked, plant-eating dinosaurs that later included massive animals like Brachiosaurus.
- Why is this discovery significant? It provides the oldest known dinosaur skeleton from Africa and helps scientists map how early dinosaurs spread across Pangea.
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