New Dog-Sized Dinosaur Identified as a Distinct Species

A small dinosaur, long mistaken for another species, has just been officially recognized as something entirely new. Meet the Enigmacursor, meaning “enigmatic runner” — a creature that lived around 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period.

Despite sharing its environment with giants like the stegosaurus, the Enigmacursor was about the size of a Labrador retriever, standing just 64 cm tall and stretching 1.8 meters in length, most of which was made up by its long tail. It was originally classified as a Nanosaurus, but recent research revealed it’s actually a different species altogether.

Starting June 26, the dinosaur’s skeleton will go on display at the Natural History Museum in London, making it the first new dinosaur to join the museum’s main exhibits in over a decade.

According to Paul Barrett, a paleontologist at the museum, this discovery could shed new light on how small, early dinosaurs eventually evolved into the massive and sometimes bizarre species we know today.

The fossil skeleton is being carefully assembled by conservators Lu Allington-Jones and Kieran Miles, using a custom metal frame to ensure every piece is securely supported. “We’re making the final adjustments very carefully. It’s a big moment for all of us,” said Allington-Jones.

The Enigmacursor will be displayed on a balcony in the museum’s Earth Hall, just above the famous skeleton of Sophie the Stegosaurus, which also came from the Morrison Formation in the western United States.

Paleontologist Susannah Maidment explained that, besides its compact body and long limbs, the dinosaur had a relatively small head — suggesting it wasn’t the brightest of its time. She also noted that it likely died in its adolescent stage.

With its agile build and modest size, the Enigmacursor offers a fascinating glimpse into the lesser-known side of dinosaur evolution — proving that even the smallest creatures played a crucial role in the age of giants.

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