Concavenator corcovatus

You know a dinosaur discovery is unusual when a leading scientific journal publishes its description with the word ‘bizarre’ featuring prominently in the title. Yet there aren’t many other ways in which Concavenator corcovatus can easily be described.

After all, what on earth is that thing sitting on its back? A pretend shark fin? A camel hump? Some accidental slip of the illustrator’s hand? Well the truth is, no one is entirely sure.

Experts have puzzled over the exact function of Concavenator’s massive hump ever since. Supported by two extended vertebrae above the pelvis, some speculate that it could have served as a rudimentary thermoregulatory mechanism, to help it maintain body temperature by controlling the supply of blood to the large surface area.

Others have suggested it could have been used for display purposes, perhaps either to attract mates or warn off competitors.

Some researchers reckon that the unusual bumps which run along bones in Concavenator’s arms are evidence that it possessed display feathers — which would have been unexpected in an Allosaurid, and could have changed our understanding of how long ago feathers might have evolved.

However, other scientists contest the idea, pointing out that despite some resemblances to quills found on other dinosaurs, there are also a number of major differences in their arrangement along the arm. Also, despite being extremely well preserved (allowing even impressions of scales to be identified), the fossil specimen shows no sign of any such feathery features, which is a bit awkward.

AND ANOTHER THING: The scientific name roughly means ‘hump-backed hunter from Cuenca’, and references the central Spanish province of Cuenca, where the one remarkably complete fossil skeleton from which this early Cretaceous theropod is known was unearthed six years ago.

FURTHER READING: Here’s the 2010 paper in which the discoverers of Concavenator make the case in favour of arm-feathers. Give it a read and see what you think.