Commercial collectors have discovered 2.4 times more T. rex fossils than public institutions since the early 1990s.
Researchers used ancient protein analysis to identify the fossil.
The fossil find includes at least 19 individuals of the species Buettnererpeton bakeri, which were as large as adult alligators.
‘This specimen reflects that iguanodonts had a much greater diversity than previously thought,’ said Bruno Silva of Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
This discovery marks the first-ever record of such preservation, representing an entirely new form of soft tissue preservation.
The fetus, measuring around 50 centimeters, was positioned in a way that indicates it was in the final stages of prenatal development, suggesting it was possibly ready to be born.
The femur shows distinctive traits observed exclusively in ceratopsians, confirming their existence in the Middle Jurassic.
The fossil preserved the stomach contents, allowing for insights into the behavior of ancient fish.
A new species of primitive reptile, named Marmoretta drescherae, was identified from fossils unearthed in Portugal dating back 150 million years ago.
Megalodon sharks roamed the seas between 20 million and 3.6 million years ago.
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