Scientists from the SNSB (Bavarian State Collection for Paleontology and Geology) and Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) have identified a new species of predatory dinosaur from the Cretaceous period. This remarkable discovery, published in the journal PLOS ONE, sheds new light on an ancient Egyptian predator that has been lost to history for nearly 80 years, following the destruction of its fossil during World War II. The fossil itself, dating back approximately 95 million years, was originally excavated from Egypt’s Bahariya Oasis and described by the famed paleontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach.
The Eventful History of the Dinosaur Fossil
The story of this new dinosaur species, Tameryraptor markgrafi, begins in 1914, when Stromer, a Munich-based paleontologist, led an expedition to the Bahariya Oasis in Egypt. There, he discovered the remains of a large, predatory dinosaur that would later be sent to Munich. Once it arrived in the city, the fossil was housed in the Bavarian State Collection for Paleontology and Geology, where Stromer conducted his initial research. Based on his analysis of the fossil’s characteristics, he classified the creature as Carcharodontosaurus, a genus known for its shark-like teeth. Measuring about 10 meters long, the dinosaur was considered one of the largest known terrestrial carnivores of its time, placing it on par with the similarly massive Tyrannosaurus rex, though Carcharodontosaurus lived slightly earlier.
For nearly three decades, the fossil of this formidable predator remained in the museum’s collections, garnering attention for its significance in understanding the ancient ecosystem of Egypt. However, the original fossil and most of Stromer’s extensive research materials faced a tragic fate during an Allied air raid on Munich on July 21, 1944. The Old Academy building, where the fossils were stored, was destroyed in the bombing, and with it, a significant portion of the dinosaur collection, including the Carcharodontosaurus specimens from Egypt, was lost. The bombing marked a period of silence surrounding these findings, and the exact details about the giant predator’s biology, anatomy, and significance became little more than a curiosity until recent years.
While Stromer’s detailed notes, illustrations of the fossils, and a few photographs of the skeletons survived, this vital information about the predator remained largely forgotten, buried under the ruins of World War II.
The Unveiling of Tameryraptor markgrafi
Fast forward several decades, when a research team, including Maximilian Kellermann, a master’s student at LMU München, embarked on a fresh exploration into the history of Stromer’s Egyptian dinosaur specimens. The team made an unprecedented breakthrough when Kellermann discovered a series of previously unseen photographs of the original skeleton, showing parts of the skull, spine, and hind limbs of the dinosaur before its destruction. These archival images, preserved by chance, opened a window into the distant past, allowing the researchers to examine the dinosaur’s anatomy in greater detail.
Working alongside dinosaur expert Professor Oliver Rauhut from the Bavarian State Collection and Dr. Elena Cuesta from LMU, Kellermann scrutinized the newly discovered photos and compared them to other known fossils from the Carcharodontosaurus genus. What they uncovered was astounding—rather than belonging to the Carcharodontosaurus genus as Stromer had originally concluded, the fossil depicted a distinct species that had never been documented before. They concluded that the predator had unique features that warranted its reclassification. This new discovery led the team to officially name the species Tameryraptor markgrafi, a nod to both the ancient name of Egypt—“Tamery,” meaning “promised land”—and Richard Markgraf, the fossil collector who had first unearthed the remains.
Characteristics and Classification of Tameryraptor markgrafi
Tameryraptor was a massive predator, around 10 meters in length, similar in size to the larger, more famous predators like Tyrannosaurus rex and Carcharodontosaurus. Key features that set it apart from its relatives were its symmetrical teeth and the prominent nasal horn found on its skull. These distinct physical traits provided critical evidence that this predator was indeed a previously unknown species, rather than a variant of Carcharodontosaurus as initially thought.
The dinosaur belongs to the broader group of Carcharodontosaurs, a lineage of large theropods that roamed both North Africa and South America during the Cretaceous period. Interestingly, paleontologists also found that Tameryraptor was closely related to a separate group of predatory dinosaurs called Metriacanthosaurs, which had previously been considered part of the Asian fossil record. This broad connection across different continents suggests that the prehistoric animal kingdom might have been far more interconnected than previously assumed.
The Importance of the Discovery
This rediscovery of Tameryraptor markgrafi is a key moment for paleontology, both for its direct implications on our understanding of ancient life and for the methods by which scientists can reconstruct the past. The process of rediscovering an extinct species through archived materials shows that paleontologists can still make valuable scientific gains from older data. The fact that this species survived in museum archives, through forgotten photos and research notes, demonstrates the importance of archival work, an area that often gets overshadowed by the allure of new field discoveries.
Moreover, the identification of Tameryraptor raises significant questions about the biodiversity of Cretaceous-era predatory dinosaurs in North Africa. For many years, scientists had assumed that the fauna in the Bahariya Oasis had a rather predictable and limited collection of large carnivores, especially those from the Carcharodontosaurus genus. However, the discovery of Tameryraptor suggests that the predatory dinosaur population of the region was far more diverse than previously imagined, possibly including other, yet-to-be-discovered species from this fascinating period in Earth’s history.
“It’s clear that the dinosaur fauna of North Africa was much more diverse than we had once thought. This discovery encourages us to explore both the physical earth and the rich troves of archived data for more lost pieces of our ancient history,” said Professor Rauhut. His comments reflect the growing recognition that much of what we know about the Cretaceous period could still be incomplete, and more surprises may still await.
Looking Ahead: Further Excavation and Research
While Tameryraptor markgrafi offers a thrilling glimpse into the dinosaur ecosystem of Cretaceous-era Egypt, the findings also open new avenues for future paleontological exploration. According to the researchers, further excavation in the Bahariya Oasis, a region already renowned for its wealth of dinosaur fossils, could yield additional remnants that might expand our knowledge of the ancient predatory creatures that once dominated this part of North Africa.
“The Bahariya Oasis is rich with fossils, and there could be many more undiscovered species from the same period waiting to be found,” says Dr. Cuesta. She hopes that the rediscovery of Tameryraptor serves as a reminder that much of the world’s prehistoric life remains hidden beneath the surface, with many mysteries still to unravel.
Conclusion
The identification of Tameryraptor markgrafi is both a scientific triumph and a compelling reminder of the power of interdisciplinary research. By bringing together archival documentation and paleontological expertise, the team at SNSB and LMU has not only reintroduced a lost species to the scientific community but also revolutionized our understanding of the diversity of predatory dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period. As the search for ancient life continues, discoveries like this pave the way for a more comprehensive understanding of Earth’s distant past—one that reveals a rich, interconnected web of species spanning continents and millions of years.
Through the combination of careful archival work, a deeper exploration of historical fossils, and ongoing field research, paleontologists may continue to uncover much more about ancient ecosystems that shaped life as we know it today.
Reference: Maximilian Kellermann et al, Re-evaluation of the Bahariya Formation carcharodontosaurid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and its implications for allosauroid phylogeny, PLOS ONE (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0311096