Researchers have identified a new dinosaur species from Zimbabwe that lived approximately 210 million years ago during the Late Triassic period. The species, named Musango matusadonaensis, was discovered based on a nearly complete skeleton excavated near Lake Kariba in 2018.
At about 4.5 metres long and weighing roughly 222 kilograms, Musango was relatively small and lightly built compared to later giant dinosaurs. Its name derives from the Shona word "musango," meaning "living in the bush."
Insights into Ancient Ecosystems
The discovery challenges previous assumptions that dinosaurs across southern Africa were largely uniform. According to Paul Barrett of the Natural History Museum in London, the find indicates the region consisted of multiple distinct ecosystems, each supporting different dinosaur species.
Musango's fossil includes well-preserved bones from the spine, ribs, limbs, and feet. Analysis suggests the dinosaur was about eight years old and nearly fully grown at the time of death, having survived a serious injury or infection earlier in life. Although its skull remains missing, scientists infer it was likely herbivorous or omnivorous, feeding on plants near rivers and streams.
Context of Dinosaur Discoveries in Zimbabwe
- This marks the fifth dinosaur species identified in Zimbabwe.
- In 2022, the oldest dinosaur in Africa, Mbiresaurus raathi, dating back around 230 million years, was also discovered in Zimbabwe.
The research team’s findings were published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, adding valuable knowledge about dinosaur diversity and distribution in southern Africa during the Late Triassic.
