Moroccan duckbill dinosaur fossils found in Morocco uncovered an extraordinary migration story, revealing that these ancient creatures mysteriously crossed oceans to reach Africa, according to the Phys.org website.
The discovery of these fossils, including a new species named Minqaria bata, deepens the mystery of how these dinosaurs, originally from North America, managed to arrive on the African continent millions of years ago.
Sixty-six million years ago, Africa was an isolated island continent, separated by oceans from other land masses.
Yet, fossil evidence shows that Moroccan duckbill dinosaurs, which evolved in North America, somehow made their way to Africa.
This puzzling migration defies conventional understanding, as no land bridge connected the continents at that time.
The first discovery of African duckbills occurred five years ago when paleontologists unearthed the jawbones of Ajnabia odysseus, a small, pony-sized dinosaur, in Morocco.
Recent finds, including the partial skull of Minqaria bata, confirm that Moroccan duckbill dinosaurs not only reached Africa but also rapidly diversified upon arrival, filling unique ecological niches.
North American and Asian duckbills were giants, but the Moroccan duckbill dinosaur fossils were significantly smaller.
Minqaria bata, for example, was just a few meters long and weighed about 250kg.
The discovery of larger bones nearby hints at the presence of even bigger duckbills, suggesting a complex ecosystem in ancient Morocco.
The resemblance between Minqaria bata and European duckbills suggests that these dinosaurs emigrated from Europe, despite the ocean separating the continents.
This leads to the astonishing conclusion that Moroccan duckbill dinosaurs must have crossed the ocean, possibly by floating or swimming, to reach Africa.
This migration event sheds light on how rare and improbable events can significantly impact evolution.
Just as Moroccan duckbill dinosaurs crossed oceans to reach Africa, other species, including early primates, may have made similar journeys, shaping the course of evolution in profound ways.