New species of dinosaur with ‘eye-catching sail’ discovered on Isle of Wight

Istiorachis macarthurae, named after sailor Ellen MacArthur, had a pronounced sail along its back that may have been used to attract mates

Scientists have discovered a new species of dinosaur with an “eye-catching sail” along its back and tail that may have been used to attract mates.

The iguanodontian dinosaur, whose fossils were found on the Isle of Wight, was identified by Dr Jeremy Lockwood, a PhD student at the University of Portsmouth and the Natural History Museum.

The retired GP has named it Istiorachis macarthurae, a mix of “sail spine” and a reference to Ellen MacArthur, who set a world record for the fastest solo non-stop sailing voyage around the world in 2005.

Prior to Lockwood’s analysis, the fossils, which date back 125m years, were assumed to have belonged to one of the two known dinosaur species from the Isle of Wight.