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Scientists Identify Tiny Dinosaur Species From Spain's Early Cretaceous

Fossils from at least five individuals, including an adult, establish a new ornithopod named Foskeia pelendonum.

Overview

  • The remains were found near Castrillo de la Reina in Burgos province by a team from the Dinosaurier-Museum Salas de los Infantes.
  • Individuals measured just over half a meter from snout to tail and would have stood about knee-high on two legs.
  • The species lived around 120 million years ago and is described in the peer-reviewed journal Papers in Palaeontology.
  • Bone microstructure analyzed under Koen Stein confirmed adulthood in the largest specimen, ruling out a purely juvenile sample.
  • Researchers report specialized teeth and a growth-related posture shift, interpreting the animal as built for quick sprints in dense forests.