A new species of dinosaur has been identified in Britain nearly 25 years after its remains were first uncovered. The dinosaur, named Paludadromus proudlovi, lived approximately 125 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. Its fossils were discovered at a brickworks site in Surrey in 2001 and later donated to the Natural History Museum in London.

Paludadromus proudlovi is closely related to Iguanodon, a well-known herbivorous dinosaur. The specimen found measured about 16 feet in length and is estimated to have weighed up to two tons. However, researchers consider the individual to have been a juvenile, suggesting adults of the species may have grown even larger.

The dinosaur has been named in honor of Will Proudlove, a former manager at the Surrey brickworks who passed away at the age of 35 shortly before the fossil’s discovery. His widow, Rachael Proudlove, expressed her family’s pride in having Will’s name associated with the new species.

Scientists studying Paludadromus proudlovi believe the dinosaur inhabited wet, muddy environments, possibly similar to swamps or wetlands that once covered parts of southeastern England. It likely fed on plants available in these habitats. Additionally, researchers suggest that Paludadromus proudlovi may have been preyed upon by the carnivorous dinosaur Baryonyx, a predator known to have lived in the same region and period.

The identification of Paludadromus proudlovi adds to the growing understanding of dinosaur diversity and ecology in Early Cretaceous Britain. Ongoing research aims to clarify the species’ exact place within the Iguanodontidae family and to further explore the environment it once occupied.