Rhabdodontid dinosaurs were little-to medium-sized, most likely repeatedly bipedal herbivores in between 2 and 6 m (6.6-20 feet) in length.

These dinosaurs were identified by a rather stocky develop, with strong hind limbs, brief forelimbs, a long tail and a relatively big, triangular skull that tapers anteriorly and ends in a pointy snout.

They lived in the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago, a comprehensive island chain with various little and big islands located in a shallow tropical sea.

Presently, the household makes up less than 10 types, which have actually been discovered in southern France, northern Spain, eastern Austria, western Hungary and western Romania.

“Rhabdodontids are typically thought about to represent a group of little to medium-sized ornithischian dinosaurs endemic for the Late Cretaceous European Archipelago,” stated Dr. Łukasz Czepiński and Dr. Daniel Madzia, both from the Institute of Paleobiology at the Polish Academy of Sciences.

“Eight to 9 unique types are presently acknowledged based upon specimens uncovered from eastern Austria, southern France, western Hungary, western Romania, and northern Spain.”

“Still, the understanding of the variety of Rhabdodontidae and their intrarelationships stays far from total.”

The fossilized remains of Obelignathus septimanicus — an ideal dentary– were discovered in the ‘Grès à Reptiles’ Formation in southern France.

The specimen was formerly designated to a types called ‘Rhabdodon’ septimanicus

Rhabdodon septimanicus is an inadequately understood types from the Upper Campanian to Lower Maastrichtian of southern France,” the paleontologists stated.

“It was developed based upon an especially robust dentary bone that has actually undergone clashing taxonomic analyses.”

“Our restudy of the specimen, integrated with a multivariate and phylogenetic evaluation, reveals that this types is a clear morphological outlier amongst European rhabdodontomorphs, supplying a basis for its project to a brand-new genus, Obelignathus“

“Although additional massive research studies, specifically in-depth osteological descriptions, are required to clarify the taxonomic significance of specific European rhabdodontomorphs, our outcomes suggest that the group displays higher variety than presently acknowledged, with a number of sympatric types co-occurring, a minimum of in southern France and perhaps likewise in Romania.”

The group’s paper was released today in the journal Scientific Reports

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Ł. Czepiński & & D. Madzia. 2025. Checking out the variety and variation of rhabdodontomorph ornithopods from the Late Cretaceous European island chain. Sci Rep 15, 15209; doi: 10.1038/ s41598-025-98083-z