Unveiling a Canine-Sized Dinosaur: Must-See Exhibit at the Natural History Museum!

A recent discovery has unveiled a new species of dinosaur, the Enigmacursor, which means “puzzling runner.” This dinosaur roamed the Earth around 150 million years ago, sharing its landscape with famous big dinosaurs like the Stegosaurus. Initially mistaken for a Nanosaurus, scientists have now confirmed its unique identity.

The Enigmacursor is about the size of a labrador, measuring 64 cm tall and 180 cm long. It has surprisingly large feet and a tail that might have been longer than its body. According to Professor Susanna Maidment, its small head suggests it wasn’t particularly bright, possibly being just a teenager at the time of its demise.

Excitement swirls around the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London, where this is the first new dinosaur exhibit since 2014. As it prepares for display, experts have worked meticulously to assemble its nearly complete skeleton. Meanwhile, its new home in the museum will feature a glass display case designed for optimal viewing.

Research led by palaeontologists like Professor Paul Barrett sheds light on the evolutionary journey from small dinosaurs to the giants we know today. Smaller dinosaurs, like the Enigmacursor, show vital evolutionary changes that might explain how larger, more bizarre dinosaurs evolved. “Specimens like this help fill in the gaps of our knowledge,” says Professor Barrett. “They reveal the pressures that led to the evolution of our most familiar gigantic species.”

To determine the Enigmacursor’s true classification, scientists reviewed the fossil record and traveled to the U.S. to compare this skeleton to the original Nanosaurus. They found the earlier naming was based on limited evidence, prompting them to remove the Nanosaurus category entirely. “This discovery is crucial for understanding dinosaur diversity,” Professor Maidment notes, indicating that future finds might reveal even more new species.

Currently, the interest in small dinosaurs is increasing. In the past, large dinosaur bones drew the most attention, making the smaller ones often overlooked. “We hope people will start looking for these little wonders,” says Professor Barrett. This shift in focus could lead to uncovering even more significant insights about the distant past.

As this new dinosaur captures the public’s imagination, it joins a growing interest in the diverse world of dinosaurs that continues to fascinate scientists and enthusiasts alike.

For further reading, the findings on Enigmacursor malleyborthwickae are available in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

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