The first and most complete dinosaur skeleton from the Middle Jurassic of Scotland
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Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
ISSN
1755-6910
Date issued
2025
Author(s)
Panciroli, Elsa
Funston, Gregory F
Abstract
The fossil record of dinosaurs in Scotland mostly comprises isolated highly fragmentary
bones from the Great Estuarine Group in the Inner Hebrides (Bajocian–Bathonian). Herewe report the
first definite dinosaur body fossil ever found in Scotland (historically), having been discovered in 1973,
but not collected until 45 years later. It is the first and most complete partial dinosaur skeleton currently
known from Scotland.NMSG.2023.19.1 was recovered froma challenging foreshore location in the Isle
of Skye, and transported to harbour in a semi-rigid inflatable boat towed by a motor boat. After manual
preparation, micro-CT scanning was carried out, but this did not aid in identification. Among many
unidentifiable elements, a neural arch, two ribs and part of the ilium are described herein, and their features
indicate that this was a cerapodan or ornithopod dinosaur. Histological thin sections of one of the
ribs support this identification, indicating an individual at least eight years of age, growing slowly at the
time of death. If ornithopodan, as our data suggest, it could represent the world’s oldest body fossil of
this clade.
bones from the Great Estuarine Group in the Inner Hebrides (Bajocian–Bathonian). Herewe report the
first definite dinosaur body fossil ever found in Scotland (historically), having been discovered in 1973,
but not collected until 45 years later. It is the first and most complete partial dinosaur skeleton currently
known from Scotland.NMSG.2023.19.1 was recovered froma challenging foreshore location in the Isle
of Skye, and transported to harbour in a semi-rigid inflatable boat towed by a motor boat. After manual
preparation, micro-CT scanning was carried out, but this did not aid in identification. Among many
unidentifiable elements, a neural arch, two ribs and part of the ilium are described herein, and their features
indicate that this was a cerapodan or ornithopod dinosaur. Histological thin sections of one of the
ribs support this identification, indicating an individual at least eight years of age, growing slowly at the
time of death. If ornithopodan, as our data suggest, it could represent the world’s oldest body fossil of
this clade.
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