Bexhill Dinosaur Teeth Shed Light on Ancient Tyrannosaur Habitat

The presence of the formidable tyrannosaur in Bexhill-on-Sea has been established through the discovery of dinosaur teeth, a finding facilitated by a retired quarry worker. A study spearheaded by the University of Southampton determined that various carnivorous dinosaur groups inhabited the coastal East Sussex area 135 million years ago. This marks the initial identification of tyrannosaurs within sediments corresponding to this specific age and geographical location. These fossils were unearthed by Dave Brockhurst, a retired quarryman who has dedicated the past three decades to excavating fossils at Ashdown Brickworks. The research, which appeared on Thursday in *Papers in Palaeontology*, identified an entire assemblage of predators from various dinosaur groups, encompassing tyrannosaurs, spinosaurs, and members of the velociraptor family. According to the study, these tyrannosaurs were estimated to be approximately one-third the size of their renowned relative, Tyrannosaurus rex. Mr. Brockhurst’s diligent collecting efforts proved instrumental to this discovery. Over approximately 30 years, he has unearthed thousands of specimens, ranging from fragments of dinosaur skeletons to minute shark teeth. Approximately 5,000 of the items he has found have already been contributed to Bexhill Museum. Given that theropods are remarkably scarce at this location, Mr. Brockhurst’s discovery of around 10 specimens there to date is noteworthy. Mr. Brockhurst stated, “As a child I was fascinated by dinosaurs and never thought how close they could be. Many years later I started work at Ashdown and began looking for fossils. I’m happy with tiny fish scales or huge thigh bones, although the preservation of the dinosaur teeth really stands out for me.” The recently identified dinosaurs from Bexhill-on-Sea are evidenced solely by their teeth. The research team employed multiple analytical approaches, including machine learning techniques, to examine these fossilized remains. Dr. Darren Naish, a co-author of the study, commented, “Southern England has an exceptionally good record of cretaceous dinosaurs, and various sediment layers here are globally unique in terms of geological age and the fossils they contain. These East Sussex dinosaurs are older than those from the better-known cretaceous sediments of the Isle of Wight, and are mysterious and poorly known by comparison. We’ve hoped for decades to find out which theropod groups lived here, so the conclusions of our new study are really exciting.” For further updates, BBC Sussex can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.