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For more than a century, a curious fossil sat quietly in the collections of the National Museum of Wales. First unearthed in 1899 near Penarth, South Wales, the specimen had long puzzled paleontologists. Now, over 125 years later, modern technology has revealed its true identity: a brand-new species of dinosaur named Newtonsaurus. The findings are published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
From mystery fossil to new species
Originally described by Victorian scientist Edwin Tully Newton, the fossil was once thought to belong to a group of ancient reptiles. But with no surviving bone—only a natural mold of a jawbone preserved in rock—its story remained incomplete.
Using high-resolution digital scanning, researchers at the University of Bristol have now reconstructed the missing pieces in 3D. The virtual model captured every detail: grooves, serrations, and the arrangement of the teeth. These unique features confirmed that the fossil did not belong to just any reptile—it was a predatory theropod dinosaur.
Meet Newtonsaurus
The species has been formally named Newtonsaurus cambrensis, honoring Newton, who first reported the fossil more than a century ago. The jaw alone measured around 60 centimeters when complete, suggesting the animal itself stretched 5 to 7 meters in length—surprisingly large for a Triassic predator.
“This specimen had been referred to many times in scientific papers, but we were never sure whether it was even a dinosaur,” said lead researcher and paleontology student Owain Evans. “Now we can confidently place it in the theropod family, the same group that eventually gave rise to famous giants like T. rex.”
A window into Wales’ prehistoric past
Triassic fossils are relatively rare worldwide, making the discovery even more significant. The find shows that large meat-eating dinosaurs roamed the coastlines of Wales some 200 million years ago, much earlier than scientists once imagined.
Cindy Howells of the National Museum of Wales called the reidentification “a reminder of how valuable historical collections can be.” She added: “Even fossils that have been on display for decades can hold new secrets when viewed with fresh eyes and modern techniques.”
Why it matters
The case of Newtonsaurus highlights how old specimens, when paired with new technology, can completely reshape our understanding of Earth’s history. What once seemed like an ordinary fossil has now rewritten the story of dinosaurs in Wales—offering a glimpse into a time when this land was home to a powerful predator.
And as researchers point out, there may be more discoveries waiting in museum drawers or beneath Welsh soils, still hidden, just as Newtonsaurus was for more than a century.