Rediscovered skull names new Isle of Wight dinosaur
A braincase fossil kept for more than a century in the Natural History Museum's collections was recognized as a new theropod species from the Isle of Wight. Named Invictibellatrix amberina, it lived roughly 120 million years ago and represents the first dinosaur of its kind found in Europe.
The specimen is a braincase, the bony case around the brain, acquired by London’s Natural History Museum in 1924. It had sat unrecognized until paleontologist Paul Barrett spotted it in 2020; records traced it to a beach near Sudmoor Point on the Isle of Wight. Cassius Morrison then examined the fossil, which is about 120 million years old.
The animal belonged to Megaraptora, a carnivorous group with slender skulls, lightly built bodies and very large hand claws. At roughly 5 meters long and about the weight of a large tiger, it is the smallest known megaraptoran. Most megaraptorans come from South America, especially Argentina, making this British find the first of its kind in Europe.
The rediscovery may strengthen public interest in museum collections and Isle of Wight fossil heritage, potentially benefiting local tourism and educational programs. It could also encourage researchers to re-examine overlooked specimens, though any scientific or economic effects would depend on follow-up study and how institutions present the find.