Logroño, (EFE).- The new fossilized bone remains found in Igea (La Rioja), during the first half of July, of the most complete spinosaurid dinosaur in the Iberian Peninsula have confirmed that it is also the most complete in Europe, which inhabited in this area of the La Rioja community 120 million years ago.
This was explained to EFE on Monday by the honorary director of the Igea Paleontological Interpretation Center, Patxi Sáez Benito, at the end of the excavations, carried out at the “Virgen del Villar 2” site, where last year the first remains of this dinosaur.
The first investigations of the 2022 findings suggest that it could be a new species within this type of carnivores, as was already advanced in the last deck, but it is still under study by a team of scientists.
It is a large carnivorous dinosaur, between 7 and 8 meters in length, with an elongated snout and highly developed arms, which the research team has named “Villar”, in reference to the site where its remains are located, until it is determined. its scientific name.
The Garras team from the Igea Paleontological Center, in charge of the research, has recovered remains of the animal’s axial skeleton in this campaign, such as a dentary with teeth in life position, dorsal and caudal vertebrae; as well as ribs and chevrons, he explained.
Remains of the appendicular skeleton have also been found, such as a complete tibia, phalanges of the foot and of the hand -including some claws of the hand and foot-; and pubic bones, in the hip.
“As of today, the remains found in this campaign are still pending restoration and, after adding those found last year,” said Sáez-Benito, whose research group understands that it could also be one of the most complete spinosaurids. of the world record.
In addition, it would surpass the “mythical” holotype of the English spinosaurus “Baryonyx Walkery”, he has assured.