A new study published in Papers in Palaeontology has discovered a diverse community of predatory dinosaurs, including tyrannosaurs, spinosaurs, and Velociraptor-like theropods, at the Bexhill-on-Sea region of coastal East Sussex 135 million years ago. The research, led by the University of Southampton, provides evidence that these meat-eating dinosaurs roamed the area during the Cretaceous period.
The discovery is significant as it marks the first time tyrannosaurs have been identified in sediments of this age and region. According to Dr. Chris Barker, lead author of the study, “Meat-eating dinosaurs – properly called theropods – are rare in the Cretaceous sediments of southern England.” The team used various techniques, including phylogenetic, discriminant, and machine learning methods, to analyze fossilized teeth, which revealed the presence of spinosaurs, mid-sized tyrannosaurs, and tiny dromaeosaurs.
The findings suggest that these dinosaurs would have been around a third of the size of their famous cousin Tyrannosaurus rex and likely hunted small dinosaurs and other reptiles in their floodplain habitat. The discovery was made possible by the tireless collecting of retired quarryman Dave Brockhurst, who has spent the last 30 years uncovering fossils from Ashdown Brickworks.
The study’s authors believe that further analysis of theropod teeth in museum stores elsewhere may bring up additional discoveries. Dr. Darren Naish, a co-author of the study, said: “Southern England has an exceptionally good record of Cretaceous dinosaurs, and various sediment layers here are globally unique in terms of geological age and the fossils they contain.” The discovery provides new insights into the diversity of dinosaurs in southern England and highlights the importance of museum collections and curators in advancing our understanding of these prehistoric creatures.
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/researchers-discover-extraordinary-135-million-year-old-tyrannosaur-teeth-in-an-unexpected-place