Duck-billed dinosaur crossed an ocean to reach African shores

DINOSAURS swam across oceans, British researchers have revealed in a landmark study after finding the first duck-billed fossil in Africa.

The remains of the new species, named Ajnabia odysseus, were found in a mine near Casablanca in Morocco and date back to the end of the Cretaceous period 66 million years ago.

Scientists believe the creature must have travelled hundreds of miles through open water to reach the continent. This is thought to be the first time a duck-billed dinosaur has been found in Africa.

Duck-bills, which fed on plants, usually grew up to 15m (49ft) long – whereas the new species was the size of a pony, measuring just 3m. They evolved in North America before spreading to South America, Asia and Europe. However, Africa was an island continent in the late Cretaceous period and isolated by deep seaways, making it seemingly impossible for duckbills to reach it.

Dr Nicholas Longrich, of the Milner

Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, who led the study, said it was “about the last thing in the world you would expect” to find.

“It was completely out of place, like finding a kangaroo in Scotland,” he said. “Africa was completely isolated by water – so how did they get there?

“Sherlock Holmes said: ‘Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.’ It was impossible to walk to Africa. These dinosaurs evolved long after continental drift split the continents, and we have no evidence of land bridges. The geology tells us Africa was isolated by oceans. If so, the only way to get there is by water.”

Duck-bills, with their large tails and powerful legs, are thought to have been strong swimmers. But they would have had to travel enormous distances through deep oceans to reach Africa, either by swimming, floating or rafting on debris, the researchers said.

“As far as I know, we’re the first to suggest ocean crossings for dinosaurs,” said Prof Longrich.

Dr Nour-eddine Jalil, from the Natural History Museum of Sorbonne University in France, said the findings illustrated that “ocean barriers are not always an insurmountable obstacle”.

The name Ajnabia odysseus, derives from the Arabic for “foreigner” (Ajnabi) and Odysseus, the Greek seafarer.

“Over millions of years, once-in-acentury events are likely to happen many times,” said Prof Longrich. “Ocean crossings are needed to explain how lemurs and hippos got to Madagascar, or how monkeys and rodents crossed from Africa to South America.”

University of Bath scientists led the study – published in Cretaceous Research – alongside colleagues from Spain, France, Morocco and the US.