A newly-discovered dinosaur, likened in size to a small dog, has gone on show at the Natural History Museum for the first time.
Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae, a two-legged herbivore, was 65 cm tall and 180 cm long – about the size of a Labrador.
Experts say the beast once dashed around the feet of Stegosauruses, with the new, remarkable discovery shaking up the world of science.
It's believed the small creature walked the earth around 150 million years ago, during the late Jurassic period.
The new species of little herbivore is the most complete named specimen of its kind and is now on permanent display at the Natural History Museum in London.
Its long legs would have allowed Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae to dart away from danger, keeping it one step ahead of its predators.
This speedy lifestyle inspired the dinosaur’s name. Enigmacursor means “mysterious runner”, while the species name honours Molly Borthwick, whose generous donation allowed for the purchase and display of the dinosaur.
It was discovered in The USA’s Morrison Formation, which is known for the discoveries of some of the most famous dinosaurs in the world, such as Allosaurus and Stegosaurus.
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Professor Susannah Maidment, a dinosaur expert at the Natural History Museum and co-lead author of the research into Enigmacursor, says that the new species could be the first of many small dinosaurs to be found from the western USA.
“While the Morrison Formation has been well-known for a long time, most of the focus has been on searching for the biggest and most impressive dinosaurs.
“Smaller dinosaurs are often left behind, meaning there are probably many still in the ground.”
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The new fossils were unearthed between 2021 and 2022, but were initially thought to be from an animal called Nanosaurus, a species of dinosaur first named in the 1870s.
The unveiling of Enigmacursor mollyborthwickae marks the first time a new dinosaur has gone on display at London's Natural History Museum in more than ten years.
Visitors to Natural History Museum can see the new dinosaur on show in the Earth Hall from Thursday June 26.