In 2011, a dinosaur fossil was discovered in Castellon, Spain, and recent findings suggest that it belongs to a previously unknown species and genus Spinosaurus. The new dinosaur has been named Protathalitis synctorensis, named in honor of Villarreal CF’s football club’s Europa League win in 2021. It is derived from the Greek word.
The study, published May 18 in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that the Iberian Peninsula may have been a diverse region for medium- to large-sized spinosaurid dinosaurs. Spinosaurs were carnivorous dinosaurs who usually stood on two legs and had long bodies. They differed from other well-known theropods such as Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. Spinosaurs had distinct characteristics and lifestyles; many lived near rivers, hunting large fish.
The team behind this discovery included three writers who live in Villarreal and this year the club celebrates its centenary. They wanted to acknowledge all the contributions in and out of the field by naming a dinosaur genus. Andrés Santos-Cubedo, a paleontologist at Jaume I University and co-author of the study, explained the motivation behind the naming.
The discovery of Protathalitis synctorensis, along with another dinosaur called Vallibonavenatrix canni, proves that the Iberian Peninsula had a variety of spinosaurid dinosaurs. Spinosaurs are thought to have originated in Europe before spreading to Africa and Asia in the late Cretaceous period. Primarily based on fossil teeth, it can be said that they existed in present-day Spain. This study is important because it provides fossil evidence including a right jaw bone, a tooth and five vertebrae.
These fragments were found in the Archillas de Morella Formation of eastern Spain, which is known for fossils of Iguanodon and titanosaur-like dinosaurs. The newly named dinosaur was about 32 to 36 feet long, roughly the length of a telephone pole.