June 09, 2022
An Egyptian team of paleontologists have discovered the fossil of a new kind of dinosaur that lived more than 98 million years ago in the Bahariya Oasis, located in the Egyptian Western Desert.
The fossil belongs to a dinosaur from the abelisaurid group, which is a family of the theropod dinosaur species. They had a bulldog-shaped face, with short arms, stood at around six meters tall (20 feet), and were carnivorous. This is the first recorded discovery of such species in Egypt.
Around 98 million years ago, the Bahariya Oasis was a “Dinosaur Oasis” beaming with diverse life. It was here where an ancient river known as the Giant River was located, and where various animals and dinosaurs lived along its banks. This is evident by the various fossils found at the Oasis which provides scientists with valuable information about the Prehistoric Era in the region. The landscape changed around 66 million years ago when an asteroid impact led to the extinction of dinosaurs.
It is worth noting that the same team found a new dinosaur species named Mansourasaurus in 2018 during their expedition work at Dakhla Oasis.
Who knows what else might be hidden under the sand of Egyptian desert?
Image credits:
1: Andrew McAfee, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
2: The American University in Cairo, AUC
