Vallibonavenatrix is a fascinating dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period, around 129.4 to 125 million years ago. It was discovered in a place called Vallibona, in Spain. The name “Vallibonavenatrix” means “Vallibona huntress,” highlighting the area where its remains were found.
This dinosaur belongs to a special group called spinosaurids. The type species for Vallibonavenatrix is Vallibonavenatrix cani, named after Juan Cano Forner, who discovered the fossils in this region.
The fossils were collected by Forner in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He found many bones in a park in Castellón, Spain, and kept them in a private collection. Later, scientists studied these bones and described Vallibonavenatrix in detail in 2019.
Vallibonavenatrix was a medium-sized dinosaur that walked on two legs. Its spine had tall neural spines, which are the bony structures on its back. Some of these spines were shaped like fans, suggesting it might have had a sail on its back, similar to some other spinosaurids.
Researchers believe that Vallibonavenatrix was a predator, possibly hunting fish and small dinosaurs. It had strong, lightweight bones with many air-filled spaces inside, making it agile and helping it move quickly.
Vallibonavenatrix is classified in the Spinosauridae family, and it is closer to spinosaurines, like Spinosaurus, rather than baryonychines, which include Baryonyx. This means it shares some characteristics with these famous relatives.
The environment where Vallibonavenatrix lived was rich in diverse animals. It shared its habitat with other dinosaurs like Iguanodon and even other spinosaurids. This highlights the diverse ecosystems that existed during the Cretaceous period.
Overall, Vallibonavenatrix adds to our understanding of dinosaurs in Europe during the Early Cretaceous and helps us learn more about how they lived and interacted with their surroundings.