Scientists Discover New Sail-Backed Dinosaur Named After Dame Ellen MacArthur

A new species of iguanodontian dinosaur named Istiorachis macaruthurae, distinguished by a prominent sail-like structure on its back and tail, has been discovered on the Isle of Wight. The dinosaur, dating back 125 million years, was identified by Dr. Jeremy Lockwood, a retired physician and current PhD student at the University of Portsmouth and the Natural History Museum, who found the fossils had unusually long neural spines, indicating a new species. The sail, likely used for visual signaling or sexual display, is considered an extravagant feature favored by sexual selection, similar to a peacock's feathers. The species name honors Dame Ellen MacArthur, a record-breaking yachtswoman from the Isle of Wight, reflecting a symbolic connection between the dinosaur's sail and sailing. The fossils had been previously misidentified as belonging to known iguanodontian species until Lockwood's detailed analysis. The discovery enhances understanding of iguanodontian diversity on the Isle of Wight and is now exhibited at the Dinosaur Isle Museum.