A newly identified dinosaur species, distinguished by its prominent “sail” along its back, has been named in honor of celebrated sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur.
The dinosaur, discovered on the Isle of Wight, has been scientifically designated Istiorachis macarthurae. The genus name, Istiorachis, translates to “sail spine,” while the species name, macarthurae, directly references Dame Ellen’s surname.
Dame Ellen, renowned for her record-breaking solo circumnavigation of the globe, expressed her gratitude, stating it was a “huge honour,” and added, “The fact that the Istiorachis ‘sail’ could be likened to the sails I have spent so much of my life below was very touching.”
Following thorough analysis, the species has been formally named and described by Dr. Jeremy Lockwood, a scientist based on the Isle of Wight. The specimen is currently on display at the Dinosaur Isle Museum in Sandown.
This medium-sized herbivore once inhabited the floodplains of what is now the island’s southwest coast.
The remains, estimated to be 125 million years old, were initially unearthed by fossil hunter Nick Chase, who passed away in 2019.
Prior to Dr. Lockwood’s examination, the fossils were believed to belong to one of the two known iguanodontian dinosaur species from the Isle of Wight.
Dr. Lockwood explained, “While the skeleton wasn’t as complete as some of the others that have been found, no-one had really taken a close look at these bones before.”
He further elaborated, “It was thought to be just another specimen of one of the existing species, but this one had particularly long neural spines, which was very unusual.”
“It may have been used for display, much like a peacock’s feathers, possibly to attract mates or intimidate rivals,” Dr. Lockwood suggested.
The research involved comparing the fossilized bones with a comprehensive database of similar dinosaur vertebrae, allowing researchers to trace the evolutionary development of these sail-like structures.
Dame Ellen, who is also the founder and patron of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, based in East Cowes, commented, “It is certainly not an everyday occurrence to be asked if a newly discovered dinosaur could reference your name in its title.”
“I was somewhat taken aback when this conversation began, but felt hugely privileged to be asked.”
“The fact that the Istiorachis ‘sail’ could be a-likened to the sails I have spent so much of my life below was very touching.”
“It is both extraordinary and a huge honour that a creature living 125 million years ago could possibly be linked to my family name.”
Dame Ellen achieved the record for the fastest solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world in 2005.
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