Morocco: Dinosaur fossil found classed as ‘oldest’
Morocco: Dinosaur
A groundbreaking scientific study has revealed that the oldest known ornithischian dinosaur was discovered in Morocco. This find adds to Morocco’s growing reputation as a site of significant dinosaur discoveries, according to Hespress.
The Sauropod was discovered in Morocco’s Middle Atlas region after a collaborative effort by researchers Susana Maidman, Idriss Warhash, Richard J. Butler, and others.
The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Royal Society Open Science, offer crucial insights into the early evolution of this dinosaur group.
The study focuses on Sauropods, a branch of extinct bird-hipped dinosaurs that were widespread during the Cretaceous period. Fossil evidence indicates that these dinosaurs evolved by the Middle Jurassic, though only one other fossil, a thigh bone from the Callovian period in the United Kingdom, had previously been identified.
The discovery includes a thigh bone from a Sauropod found in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains. Despite being partial, the specimen exhibits key features that link it to bird-hipped dinosaurs, marking it as the oldest of its kind globally.
The research suggests that further sampling in this region could be crucial for understanding the diversity of bird-hipped dinosaurs.
In previous years, Morocco has yielded the world’s oldest Ankylosaurus and some of the earliest Stegosaurus fossils, underscoring the importance of continued excavation in the region.
Hespress
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