Artist’s impression of a new dinosaur, Comptonatus chasei. Credit: John Sibbick
A new dinosaur species, Comptonatus chaseidiscovered on the Isle of Wight, represents a major advance in understanding ChalkyThe diversity of dinosaurs of the era in England, with ongoing research suggesting that more significant finds are likely.
A new paper describes the most complete dinosaur discovered in this country in the last century. The specimen, approximately 125 million years old and with a pubic bone the size of a dinner plate, was found in 2013 in the cliffs of Compton Bay on the Isle of Wight. The discovery was made by fossil collector Nick Chase before he tragically died of cancer.
Jeremy Lockwood, former GP and University of Portsmouth A PhD student, he helped excavate the dinosaur and spent years analyzing the 149 different bones that make up the skeleton. Jeremy discovered that the skeleton represented a new genus and species, which he named Comptonatus chasei in tribute to Nick.
Jeremy said: “Nick had a phenomenal nose for finding dinosaur bones – he really was a modern day Mary Anning. He collected fossils daily in all weathers and donated them to museums. I had hoped we would spend our dotage collecting together as we were of a similar age, but alas it was not to be. Despite his many amazing discoveries over the years, including the most complete Iguanodon skull ever found in Britain, it is the first dinosaur to be named after him.”
Scientific findings and theories
When it was first discovered, it was thought to be a well-known dinosaur called Mantellisaurus, but Jeremy’s study revealed a much greater diversity of dinosaurs. This is actually the second new genus described by Jeremy.
He said: “I was able to show that this dinosaur is different because it has some unique features in the skull, teeth and other parts of the body. For example, its lower jaw has a straight lower edge, while most iguanodonts have a downward-curving jaw. It also has a very large pubic hip bone, which is much larger than other similar dinosaurs. It’s like a dinner plate!”
Jeremy Lockwood at the excavation site, Compton Bay, Isle of Wight. Credit: University of Portsmouth
Jeremy doesn’t know why the pubic iliac bone, which is located at the base of the abdomen, was so large: “It was probably due to muscle attachments, which could mean that the way it moved was a little different, or it could have supported the contents of the stomach more effectively or they were even involved in how the animal breathed, but all these theories are somewhat speculative.”
Jeremy named the dinosaur Comptonatus after Compton Bay where it was found, and ‘tonatus’ is a Latin word meaning ‘thunderous’.
“This animal would be around a ton, about the size of a large male American bison. And evidence from fossil tracks found nearby shows it was probably a grazing animal, so perhaps large herds of these heavy dinosaurs could have thundered past if they were spooked by predators on the floodplains more than 120 million years ago.”
Research contributions and museum inclusion
Dr. Susannah Maidment, Senior Researcher and Palaeontologist at the Natural History Museum and lead author of the paper completed while supervising Jeremy’s PhD:Comptonatus is a fantastic dinosaur specimen: one of the most complete to be found in the UK in the last century.
“Its recognition as a new species is thanks to the incredibly detailed work of NHM Research Associate Dr Jeremy Lockwood, whose research continues to reveal that dinosaur diversity in southern England in the Early Cretaceous was much greater than previously thought.”
“A sample that is younger than. Brightstoneus but older than Mantellisaurus (two iguana dinosaurs closely related Comptonatus) demonstrates the rapid rate of evolution in Iguandon dinosaurs during this time period and may help us understand how ecosystems recovered after the presumed extinction at the end Jurassic Time.”
Hip bone “dinner plate”. Credit: University of Portsmouth
Despite only four new dinosaur species being described on the Isle of Wight in the entire 20th century, eight new species have been named in the past five years.
Jeremy added: “This is a truly remarkable find. It helps us better understand the different types of dinosaurs that lived in England in the early Cretaceous. This adds to recent research showing that Wessex was one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.’
The dinosaur was added to the collections at the Dinosaur Isle Museum in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The article was recently published in Journal of Systematic Paleontology.
Dr. Martin Munt, curator of Dinosaur Isle, said: “Ongoing research into the museum’s collection continues to reveal exciting new discoveries. Most of Nick’s most important finds remained on the Island, a lasting legacy. We can look forward to many more new types of prehistoric creatures to be discovered from the cliffs and collection of the Island.”
Mike Greenslade, Chief Executive of the National Trust for the Isle of Wight, said: “This extraordinary discovery at Compton Bay National Trust highlights the rich natural heritage of the Isle of Wight. The discovery of the UK’s most complete dinosaur in a century not only demonstrates the palaeontological importance of the island, but also underlines the importance of preserving our landscape for future generations to explore and learn from. Nick Chase’s remarkable find and Jeremy Lockwood’s insightful research are testaments to the incredible history waiting to be uncovered here. We are excited to be a part of this ongoing journey of discovery and scientific advancement.”
Reference: “Comptonatus chasei, a new iguanodont dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, southern England” by Jeremy AF Lockwood, David M. Martill and Susannah CR Maidment, 9 July 2024, Journal of Systematic Paleontology.
DOI: 10.1080/14772019.2024.2346573