Obelignathus – new Cretaceous ornithopod dinosaur from France

Rhabdodonts are medium-sized ornithischian dinosaurs known solely from the Upper Cretaceous of Europe, the species of which are distinguished based mostly on characteristics of lower jaw elements. New analyses have shown that one species differs significantly from other ones. A new genus was thus established for it – Obelignathus, meaning “Obelix’s jaw” – which refers to the robust lower jaw of this animal. This new discovery indicates that the diversity of European rhabdodonts was greater than previously thought. Differences in jaw anatomy among coexisting species may have been related to different feeding adaptations.

Figure: life restoration of Obelignathus (by Edyta Felcyn-Kowalska) and the described fossil material (dentary bone)