Vectipelta is an extinct genus of dinosaur that belonged to the ankylosaur family. These dinosaurs lived during the Early Cretaceous period, which happened long before humans existed.
The name Vectipelta means “Isle of Wight shield.” This dinosaur was found on the Isle of Wight in England. The discovery included a partial skeleton with many bones, but it did not have a complete set. The specific type of Vectipelta is called V. barretti, named to honor the paleontologist Paul Barrett.
The remains of Vectipelta were first discovered in 1993 and 1994. At first, it was thought to belong to another dinosaur known as Polacanthus. However, later studies showed that Vectipelta was a unique dinosaur species.
In June 2023, scientists officially recognized Vectipelta barretti as a new genus and species of ankylosaur based on these findings.
Vectipelta is interesting because it is the first ankylosaur found on the Isle of Wight in 142 years. Scientists suggest that many previous fossils thought to belong to Polacanthus and another dinosaur called Hylaeosaurus might actually be different species.
In terms of classification, Vectipelta is related to other dinosaurs in the Ankylosauria group. It is not closely related to Polacanthus or Hylaeosaurus but shares some similarities with other ankylosaurs.
The Wessex Formation, where Vectipelta was found, is a large area that has fossils of many different animals. This means that Vectipelta might have lived millions of years before Polacanthus, showing that the history of dinosaurs is more complex than we often think.