Isle of Wight: Discovery of UK's Largest Complete Dinosaur Skeleton "Comptonatus Chasei"

Posted on Jul 16, 2024 at 09:07 PM

On the Isle of Wight, a dinosaur was uncovered, among the best-preserved ever discovered in the United Kingdom. This discovery of the new species, Comptonatus Chasei, solidifies the island's standing as one of the most significant dinosaur research sites worldwide.

The newest Iguanodon family member is providing fresh perspectives on the ancient history of the United Kingdom.

This is the latest dinosaur to be named, revealing the island's diverse past over 120 million years ago, as part of a thriving ecosystem. With 149 bones overall, it is the most complete dinosaur skeleton found in the UK in a century.

Dr Jeremy Lockwood, a researcher at the Natural History Museum and University of Portsmouth, is the lead author of a new paper describing Comptonatus Chasei, which is part of the island's dinosaur "renaissance."

He expressed excitement and relief after securing a rare specimen and naming it after fossil hunter Nick Chase, known for his exceptional ability to find dinosaurs.

The Comptonatus Chasei Life Cycle

During the Early Cretaceous period, Comptonatus chasei was likely present on the Isle of Wight, likely living in herds due to their 900 kg weight, similar to an American bison.

The Iguanodon family, also known as 'the cattle of the Cretaceous', is characterised by their collective defence against carnivores, as evidenced by various species' fossils.

Larger dinosaurs like Vectiraptor and Riparovenator milnerae, as well as ambush predators like Comptonatus, could have been potential threats to young dinosaurs.

Rain swept down steep hills to the north, burying bones, plants, rocks, and debris, which explains Comptonatus's well-preserved state. The floodplain transformed into a cliff, where the dinosaurs remained buried for over 120 million years.

Comptonatus Chasei: How was it discovered?

Nick Chase, a fossil hunter, made the discovery and tragically passed away from cancer shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. He is honoured by the species name.

Moreover, he observed Comptonatus in 2013 after millions of years of erosion, and Jeremy was part of a team digging and transporting its bones to the Dinosaur Isle Museum.

Mr. Lockwood paid respect to Mr. Chase by stating, "Nick had a phenomenal nose for finding dinosaur bones. He collected fossils daily in all weathers and donated them to museums. I was hoping we'd spend our dotage collecting together as we were of similar ages, but sadly, that wasn't to be the case." He stated.

Jeremy recalls digging a dinosaur from a cliff, which was initially thought to be Mantellisaurus Atherfieldensis, a common assumption for iguanodontians found on the island.

The Isle of Wight has become a popular destination for fossil hunters, with eight extinct species named there in the past five years.

In 2021, two species of large predatory dinosaurs were also discovered. A palaeontologist on the Isle of Wight was surprised to find two dinosaurs in close succession, having been waiting for such a discovery for decades.

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