New Zimbabwean Dinosaur Species Discovered From a Research Boat

Palaeontologists have described a new species of dinosaur discovered in Zimbabwe, naming it Musango matusadonaensis after the area near Lake Kariba where the fossils were found.

An unusual discovery method

The fossils were spotted during a boat-based survey of exposed lakeshore rock formations, according to researchers involved in the project, which aims to fill gaps in the palaeontological record of southern Africa.

Researchers estimated the animal was roughly 4.5 metres long, comparable to the length of an average car, based on the recovered skeletal remains.

• The species was named Musango matusadonaensis
• Fossils were found along the shoreline near Lake Kariba
• The animal is estimated to have been about 4.5 metres long

Filling a gap in the fossil record

Southern Africa's dinosaur fossil record remains comparatively underexplored, researchers said, making each new discovery in the region scientifically significant.

The research team said the find would help clarify evolutionary relationships between dinosaur species known from other parts of the African continent during the same geological period.

Further excavation work at the site is expected to continue, with researchers hopeful additional specimens could be recovered in future field seasons.