How Scientists Identified a New Isle of Wight Dinosaur

A skull fragment held by a museum for decades was reassessed and classified as a new kind of megaraptoran dinosaur.

ScienceOctober 15, 20263 min readHow Sureno writes this

The short version

Scientists classified Invictibellatrix amberina as a new species after examining a fossil fragment from the rear of its skull and comparing it with known dinosaurs ¹³.
The fossil was discovered on the Isle of Wight more than a century ago and entered the Natural History Museum’s collection in 1924 ¹.
The dinosaur belongs to the megaraptorans, a group of two-legged meat-eaters associated with large arms and curved claws ¹³.
Researchers estimate it was around three to four metres long and lived about 120 million years ago ¹³.

How can a skull fragment identify a new dinosaur?

Scientists do not always need a full skeleton to recognise a distinct dinosaur. In this case, they examined a piece from the rear of the skull and considered how its features compare with remains of other dinosaurs. Their research led them to describe a new species, Invictibellatrix amberina ¹³.

A new species identification rests on evidence that the fossil can be distinguished from previously described animals. The source reports do not give a complete account of the features used or the researchers’ detailed comparisons. They say the study was published in Royal Society Open Science ¹³.

Where did the fossil come from?

The specimen is a small section of skull rather than a complete skeleton. Amateur fossil hunter Reginald Walter Tooley found it at the base of a cliff on the Isle of Wight’s south-west coast. The Natural History Museum received it in 1924 ¹.

The fossil remained in the museum’s care before researchers recognised it as important. Its history illustrates how a new finding can come from renewed study of an old collection, not only from a recent excavation ¹.

What kind of dinosaur was it?

Researchers place the animal among megaraptorans, a group of two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs. The group is related to tyrannosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex, but reports describe megaraptorans as having slimmer skulls and powerful arms with large, curved claws ¹³.

The estimated length is three to four metres, with a height a little above one and a half metres ¹. These are reconstructions based on limited remains, not direct measurements of a complete skeleton. The reported translation of Invictibellatrix is “unconquered female warrior” ¹³.

Why does the discovery matter?

The reports identify this as the first megaraptoran known from Europe. They describe it as one of the smaller and earlier members of the group, living in the Early Cretaceous around 120 million years ago ¹³.

The find adds evidence that megaraptorans were present in Europe. It also highlights the research value of museum collections: this specimen was gathered long ago but was only later recognised as belonging to a new species ¹³.

What remains uncertain about the dinosaur?

A skull fragment cannot reveal the animal’s entire anatomy. Its body size and position among megaraptorans are estimates and interpretations based on the available fossil and comparisons with other dinosaurs ¹³.

The provided reports do not explain every feature used to distinguish the species or establish how it used its claws. They also do not identify specific prey. Further fossil evidence or more detailed study could add to what is known.

What we don't know yet

The available source summaries do not list all the skull features used to separate this species from other megaraptorans.
The rest of the animal’s skeleton is not represented by the reported fossil fragment.
The precise use of its claws and its particular prey are not established in the supplied reports.
Further evidence could refine estimates of its size and evolutionary relationships.

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Questions people ask

What is the new Isle of Wight dinosaur called?

Its scientific name is Invictibellatrix amberina. The reports say that Invictibellatrix can be translated as “unconquered female warrior” ¹³.

Where was the Invictibellatrix fossil found?

Reginald Walter Tooley found it at the foot of a cliff on the Isle of Wight’s south-west coast. The Natural History Museum acquired the fossil in 1924 ¹.

Is the Isle of Wight dinosaur fossil a complete skeleton?

No. The specimen is a fragment from the back of the skull. Researchers used it to identify and classify the dinosaur, but it does not preserve the animal’s full skeleton ¹³.

Was Invictibellatrix related to Tyrannosaurus rex?

The reports describe megaraptorans as related to tyrannosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus rex. They distinguish the group by its comparatively slender skulls and large, clawed arms ¹³.

How large was Invictibellatrix amberina?

Researchers estimate it was about three to four metres long and a little over one and a half metres tall ¹. Those figures are estimates based on a fragmentary fossil, not a complete skeleton.

Sources

Isle of Wight fossil identified as new dinosaur species — BBC News
Isle of Wight fossil Europe's first known long-clawed megaraptoran dinosaur — Phys.org, 2026-10-13