Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178528429491512.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Tyrannosaurus rex at The Mind Museum in Bonifacio Global City. <em>The Mind Museum handout/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — A newly discovered dinosaur from Zimbabwe is offering fresh clues to how the animals diversified, suggesting they spread across distinct ecosystems in southern Africa, scientists said Wednesday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/10/22/white-rock-spinosaurid-was-europes-largest-predatory-dinosaur">White Rock spinosaurid was Europe&#x27;s &#x27;largest predatory dinosaur&#x27;: scientists</a></div><p>The discovery of the new species, named Musango matusadonaensis, is based on a skeleton excavated on the shores of Lake Kariba in northern Zimbabwe in 2018, and is the fifth dinosaur identified from the country, they said.</p><p>It lived about 210 million years ago during the Late Triassic, when dinosaurs were beginning to spread across the planet but had yet to become the dominant land animals, said the international team of paleontologists behind the discovery.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/29/-strangest-dinosaur-covered-in-spiked-armory-scientists-0817">&#x27;Strangest&#x27; dinosaur covered in spiked armory: scientists</a></div><p>Unlike the giant long-necked dinosaurs that evolved millions of years later, Musango was relatively lightly built, about 4.5 meters (15 feet) long and weighing an estimated 222 kilograms (490 pounds) -- about the weight of a fully grown pig.</p><p>It was named after the local Shona word &quot;musango&quot;, meaning &quot;living in the bush&quot;.</p><p>&quot;Until recently, it was assumed that the dinosaurs living across southern Africa were largely the same,&quot; said Paul Barrett, researcher at the Natural History Museum in London.</p><p>The discovery suggests the region was instead made up of several distinct ecosystems, each home to different dinosaur species, Barrett said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;It suggests that what we&#x27;ve found so far is only the tip of the iceberg,&quot; he said.</p><p>His team&#x27;s findings were published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.</p><p>The fossil is among the most complete dinosaur skeletons of its age found in Zimbabwe, with bones from its spine, ribs, arms, legs and feet preserved.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/03/31/21/one-who-causes-fear-carnivorous-dinosaur-with-short-snout-strong-bite-menaced-patagonia">&#x27;One who causes fear&#x27;: Carnivorous dinosaur with short snout, strong bite menaced Patagonia</a></div><p>Researchers estimated Musango was about eight years old and nearly fully grown when it died. The bones also showed it had recovered from a serious injury or infection.</p><p>While its skull has not been found, researchers believe Musango was probably a herbivore or an omnivore, feeding on plants growing along rivers and streams.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/overseas/02/22/19/were-dinosaurs-killed-off-by-asteroid-or-volcanoes-its-complicated">Were dinosaurs killed off by asteroid or volcanoes? It&#x27;s complicated</a></div><p>In 2022, scientists in Zimbabwe discovered the remains of Africa&#x27;s oldest dinosaur, which roamed the earth around 230 million years ago.</p><p>The dinosaur, named Mbiresaurus raathi, was only about one metre tall, with a long tail, and weighed up to 30 kilograms.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong><br/></strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZRidYUjy2lk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z-gDoL-UnIc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>A newly discovered dinosaur from Zimbabwe is offering fresh clues to how the animals diversified, suggesting they spread across distinct ecosystems in southern Africa, scientists said Wednesday.</p>

A newly discovered dinosaur from Zimbabwe is offering fresh clues to how the animals diversified, suggesting they spread across distinct ecosystems in southern Africa, scientists said Wednesday.

Scientists discover 210-million-year-old dinosaur in Zimbabwe

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Scientists discover 210-million-year-old dinosaur in Zimbabwe

Agence France-Presse

Published July 29, 2026 08:21 AM PHT

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Agence France-Presse

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