Neovenator

Neovenator was an agile predatory dinosaur discovered on the Isle of Wight in southern England. Roaming European floodplains during the Early Cretaceous, around 125 million years ago, it was the apex land predator of its ecosystem. Reaching roughly seven and a half metres in length, this carnosaur possessed slender, long legs indicating it was swift on its feet. Its skull was equipped with sharp, backward-curving teeth designed for tearing into prey like Mantellisaurus and young sauropods. Recent CT scans of its snout revealed an intricate network of nerves and blood vessels, hinting that its face was remarkably sensitive to touch. This adaptation may have helped Neovenator explore nests, interact socially, or strip meat cleanly from bone without damaging its jaws. It represents one of the most complete large theropods ever recovered from British rocks.

Complex neurovascular canals in its snout suggest it possessed sensitive facial skin, possibly used for tactile exploration.

Where and when

Neovenator lived in the Early Cretaceous, from 129.4 to 125 million years ago (Barremian age). Its remains come from United Kingdom, in the Wessex Formation.

The numbers

Length 7.3 m (estimates run from 7 to 7.6 m). Mass about 1.2 t. Hip height about 2.2 m. That is 4.3 human-lengths, or 0.65 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from partial skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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