Meet Foskeia pelendonum, the chicken-sized dinosaur that lived about 125 million years ago
Fossils first discovered at the Vegagete site in Spain have revealed a new chicken-sized dinosaur, Foskeia pelendonum, that lived about 125 million years ago.
This little plant-eater was first discovered by Fidel Torcida Fernandez-Baldor and later described by an international team led by Paul-Emile Dieudonne and adds a quirky new branch to the dino family.
Foskeia had a unique skull and specialized teeth
Foskeia wasn't just small—it had a unique skull and specialized teeth adapted for feeding, and its postcranial bones suggest it could make short bursts of speed through dense forests.
Its bones show it grew up fast, much like birds or mammals today.
The coolest part? Foskeia is closely related to an Australian dino called Muttaburrasaurus, hinting that early plant-eating dinosaurs were more diverse and speedy than anyone expected.
Discovery hints at a previously unknown diversity of small, fast-moving dinosaurs
This discovery suggests there were way more tiny, fast-moving dinos darting around ancient forests than we thought.
It's another reminder that the dinosaur world was full of surprises—and there's still plenty left to discover.