Fossilized remains of a previously unknown species of dinosaur have been discovered on the Isle of Wight.
It is the first new species of armored dinosaur discovered on the island since 1865 and belongs to the same family – the ankylosaurs.
Although fearsome in appearance with its blade-like armor, the giant reptile – which has been named Vectipelta barretti – feeds only on plants.
It has been found in rocks dating back between 66 and 145 million years.
The name Vectipelta barretti is a tip of the hat to Professor Paul Barrett, who has worked at the Natural History Museum in London for 20 years.
He said he was “flattered and absolutely delighted to be recognized in this way”, and insisted “that any physical resemblance is purely coincidental”.
Although the new dinosaur has some similarities to the last ankylosaur found on the island – called Polacanthus foxii – scientists do not think the two species were very closely related.
In addition to having different neck, back and pelvic bones, the recent find would have more spiked armor, the scientists said.
The new species has more in common with ankylosaurs found in China, suggesting they moved freely from Asia to Europe during the Early Cretaceous period.
Stuart Pond, a researcher at the Natural History Museum, said the find sheds light on the variety of species present in England at the time.
He said the discovery will prompt re-analysis of other similar fossil remains that scientists have assumed belonged to P foxii for more than a century.
The team behind the find said the site where the new species was found, known as the Wessex Formation, was an “extremely important” resource for understanding more about how the dinosaurs went extinct.
There are competing theories about what caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, with both an asteroid impact and massive volcanic eruptions.