First armored dinosaur found on Isle of Wight ‘in 142 years’

A new species of armored dinosaur has been discovered on the Isle of Wight for the first time in 142 years.

Belonging to a group of plant-eating dinosaurs known as ankylosaurs, the remains were found in the island’s Wessex Formation, a fossil site dating back to somewhere between 145 and 66 million years ago.

The new species was named Vectipelta barretti – after Professor Paul Barrett, who worked at Museum of Natural History Art London for 20 years.

It is the second armored dinosaur to be found on the island, the first being Polacanthus foxii, which was discovered in 1865.

Stuart Pond, Research Associate, Natural History Museum Earth Sciencessaid: “For almost 142 years all Ankylosaurus remains from the Isle of Wight have been attributed to Polacanthus foxii, the known dinosaur from the island, now all these finds have to be re-examined because we have described this new species.”

V barretti differs from its predecessor P foxii in its neck and dorsal bones.

The analysis also shows that the two species have different pelvic structures, with V barretti having a more blade-like armor with spikes.

Although both ankylosaurs came from the same island, the researchers found that they were not very closely related.

In fact, they said, V barretti is mostly closely related to some Chinese ankylosaurs, suggesting that these dinosaurs moved freely from Asia to Europe in the early Cretaceous period (145-66 million years ago).

Mr Pond said: “This is an important specimen because it sheds light on the diversity of ankylosaurs in the Wessex Formation and in Early Cretaceous England.”

The researchers said the rocks from the Wessex and Isle of Wight formations were “very important” to a greater understanding of how the dinosaurs died out.

Speaking about the honour, Professor Barrett said: “I am delighted and delighted to be recognized in this way, not least because the first paper I ever wrote was also on an armored dinosaur in the NHM collections.

“I’m sure any physical resemblance is purely coincidental.”

The findings are described in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.