Rabat – Scientists have unearthed fossils of two new dinosaur species in Morocco, providing invaluable insights into the diversity and dynamics of dinosaur life on the African continent during the late Cretaceous period.
The newly discovered fossils, believed to be primitive relatives of the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, challenge conventional perceptions of dinosaur ecosystems and behaviors, a new study shows.
The fossils were found just outside of Casablanca, and belong to the Abelisauridae family – carnivorous dinosaurs that shared traits with their more famous northern counterparts, the tyrannosaurs.
These unique creatures roamed the Earth during the final stages of the Cretaceous period, making them contemporaries of the mighty T. rex. What sets them apart, however, are their distinguishing features, including short, bulldog-like snouts and unusually short arms, the study detailed.
Dr. Nick Longrich, leading the study from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, expressed his surprise at the discovery’s location.
“What’s surprising here is that these are marine beds. It’s a shallow, tropical sea full of plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, and sharks. It’s not exactly a place you’d expect to find a lot of dinosaurs. But we’re finding them,” Dr. Longrich stated. This revelation further underscores the remarkable diversity and adaptability of these prehistoric creatures.
The first species, discovered near the town of Sidi Daoui, is represented by a foot bone from a predator measuring around eight feet in length. The second, found in the vicinity of Sidi Chennane, is identified by a shin bone and is believed to have grown to approximately 15 feet.
Both of these newly identified abelisaurus coexisted with their larger relative, the abelisaur Chenanisaurus barbaricus. This coexistence of various species demonstrates that the region was a thriving hub of dinosaur diversity prior to the cataclysmic asteroid impact that ultimately led to the mass extinction event.
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Dr. Nour-Eddine Jalil, a professor at the Natural History Museum and a researcher at Universite Cadi Ayyad in Morocco, explained the significance of these findings. “When T. rex reigned as a megapredator in North America, abelisaurus sat at the top of the food chains in North Africa,” he said.
Meanwhile, the study suggests that contrary to previous assumptions, the fossils discovered in Morocco provide evidence biodiversity was flourishing just before the Cretaceous-Paleogene crisis.
The fossils that have so far been discovered in the kingdom, including those of a small duckbill dinosaur named Ajnabia and a long-necked titanosaur, in addition to the new abelisaurus, offer a window into the complex ecosystem that existed in Morocco during the late Cretaceous period.
These remnants provide vital information about the state of biodiversity on the African continent as it faced the impending doom brought about by the asteroid impact around 66 million years ago.
