📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Antur
Science
New Dinosaur Species with Spiky Tail Unearthed in Gujarat's Kachchh Basin
✍️ Research Matters
🗓 24 Jul 2026, 10:33 PM
👁 6
Scientists have identified a previously unknown dinosaur species from a rare fossil found in Gujarat's Kachchh Basin, notable for its distinctive spiky tail.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Paleontology announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species in the Kachchh Basin of Gujarat. The fossil, unearthed in 2023 by a team of researchers, is the most complete specimen found in the area to date.
The specimen is remarkable for its elongated, spiky tail, a feature that sets it apart from other known theropods. Paleontologists suggest the spikes may have served as a defense mechanism or a display structure.
Preliminary analysis indicates the dinosaur belonged to the family Megalosauridae, dating back approximately 150 million years to the Late Jurassic period. The find provides fresh insight into the diversity of dinosaur fauna that once roamed the Indian subcontinent.
Researchers plan to conduct further excavations and detailed studies, with the aim of preserving the fossil in a local museum for public education.
The specimen is remarkable for its elongated, spiky tail, a feature that sets it apart from other known theropods. Paleontologists suggest the spikes may have served as a defense mechanism or a display structure.
Preliminary analysis indicates the dinosaur belonged to the family Megalosauridae, dating back approximately 150 million years to the Late Jurassic period. The find provides fresh insight into the diversity of dinosaur fauna that once roamed the Indian subcontinent.
Researchers plan to conduct further excavations and detailed studies, with the aim of preserving the fossil in a local museum for public education.