A newly discovered dinosaur species from Colorado, Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae, has rewritten our understanding of several Jurassic species. The 3-foot-long, dog-sized herbivore lived around 150 million years ago and was initially mistaken for the smaller dinosaur Nanosaurus.
The discovery was made by a private fossil company in Colorado between 2021 and 2022, but its skeleton was later sold as Nanosaurus before being purchased by the Natural History Museum in London. Researchers at the museum re-examined the fossil and found that it belonged to a new genus, Enigmacursor.
Studies have shown that the Morrison Formation, where the dinosaur was found, is home to many iconic Jurassic fossils, including Stegosaurus and Allosaurus. However, the focus on larger dinosaurs has left smaller species like Enigmacursor poorly understood.
“We’ve only scratched the surface of this formation,” said study co-lead author Susannah Maidment. “There are probably many more small dinosaurs waiting to be discovered.”
The discovery highlights the importance of re-examining previously misclassified fossils and sheds new light on the diversity of ancient life in North America during the Jurassic period.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/animals/dinosaurs/enigmatic-runner-dinosaur-from-colorado-helps-rewrite-understanding-of-several-jurassic-species