A previously unidentified species of dinosaur with exceptionally long claws has been discovered on the Isle of Wight, according to researchers. The predator, which stood about five feet tall and possessed knife-length claws measuring up to eight inches, lived in southern England approximately 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period.

The new species, named Invictibellatrix amberina, was identified from a fossilized skull fragment that had been held in the Natural History Museum’s collection since 1924 but had not been recognized as a distinct species until recently. Scientists from University College London used computed tomography (CT) scans to create detailed three-dimensional models of the specimen, allowing for a more comprehensive analysis.

Invictibellatrix amberina belongs to the group known as megaraptorans, a clade of carnivorous dinosaurs that were agile predators closely related to tyrannosaurs. Unlike tyrannosaurs, which relied heavily on powerful jaws to crush bone, megaraptorans are believed to have used their robust forelimbs equipped with long, curved claws to capture and subdue prey.

Professor Paul Barrett, the senior author of the study, highlighted the rarity of such discoveries, noting that finds of carnivorous dinosaurs from this era and region have been particularly scarce. The identification of Invictibellatrix amberina provides new insight into the diversity and evolutionary adaptations of predatory dinosaurs in Early Cretaceous ecosystems in what is now the United Kingdom.

The research contributes to a growing understanding of megaraptoran anatomy and behavior, illustrating the varied predatory strategies employed by dinosaurs coexisting alongside more familiar species. Further study of the specimen and related fossils may shed additional light on the evolutionary history and geographic distribution of this distinctive group of theropods.