A newly discovered dinosaur from Zimbabwe is offering fresh clues to how the animals diversified, suggesting they spread across distinct ecosystems in southern Africa rather than being largely the same everywhere.
The new species, named Musango matusadonaensis, is based on a skeleton excavated on the shores of Lake Kariba in northern Zimbabwe in 2018. It is the fifth dinosaur identified from the country.
Living about 210 million years ago during the Late Triassic, Musango was lightly built — about 4.5 meters (15 feet) long and weighing an estimated 222 kilograms (490 pounds), roughly the weight of a fully grown pig.
It was named after the local Shona word "musango", meaning "living in the bush."
"Until recently, it was assumed that the dinosaurs living across southern Africa were largely the same," said Paul Barrett, researcher at the Natural History Museum in London. The discovery suggests the region was instead made up of several distinct ecosystems, each home to different dinosaur species.
"It suggests that what we've found so far is only the tip of the iceberg," Barrett said.
The fossil is among the most complete dinosaur skeletons of its age found in Zimbabwe, with bones from its spine, ribs, arms, legs, and feet preserved. Researchers estimated Musango was about eight years old and nearly fully grown. While its skull has not been found, it was probably a herbivore or omnivore.
