Scientists Recover Lost Photos of Fossils Destroyed in World War II, Baffled to Identify a Giant New Dinosaur Species

Scientists have discovered a new massive dinosaur species after finding lost photographs of fossils destroyed by bombing raids during World War II, according to the journal PLOS One. The newly discovered species, Tameryraptor markgrafi, was roaming the lands of Egypt around 95 million years ago, reaching an enormous size of 33 feet in length and ranking among the largest known land carnivores. This fascinating story begins in 1914 when German fossil collector, Richard Markgraf, discovered remains in Egypt's Bahariya Oasis. These were first kept in the Bavarian State Collection for Paleontology and Geology in Germany, but in 1944, Allied bombing destroyed the building and turned the remains to ashes.

"What we saw in the historical images surprised us all," said Maximilian Kellermann, lead author of the study, according to The Sacraments Bee. Kellermann, a master's student in paleontology, had been going through the archive of unknown photographs and letters pertaining to Huene from the University of Tübingen's Huene Archive when he stumbled upon previously unknown photographs of the fossils on display during the 1940s—features unfamiliar and unlike what the fossil had initially been thought to be.

The images were critical, as they showed differences from other known species: a big horn between the nostrils, an enlarged frontal brain, and specific anatomical features. Those convinced researchers that an entirely new species was being observed rather than a specimen of Carcharodontosaurus, as previously classified. The name "Tameryraptor markgrafi" holds a special meaning. The genus name is combined from "Ta-Mery," the ancient name for Egypt and meaning "promised land," with "raptor" in Latin, which means thief, according to Live Science. The species name honors Markgraf, the original discoverer of these remarkable fossils.

Professor Oliver Rauhut, from the Bavarian State Collection, pointed out the broader implications of this discovery. "Presumably, the dinosaur fauna of North Africa was much more diverse than we previously thought," he said. "This work shows that it can be worthwhile for paleontologists to dig not only in the ground but also in old archives," according to the Miami Herald. The discovery of Tameryraptor markgrafi opened new perspectives on dinosaur diversity in North Africa. Although the physical fossils may have been lost to war, their rediscovered photographs provided a vital source of information on the region's prehistoric life. However, the researchers admit that detailed knowledge of the Cretaceous predatory dinosaur fauna from the Bahariya Oasis would be possible only with further fossil discoveries from the site.

The story of Tameryraptor Markgrafi remains a poignant lesson on how historic archives can unveil prehistoric secrets even decades after losses that might have been tragic. The Bahariya Oasis, about 230 miles southwest of Cairo, still holds the promise of future paleontological discoveries that could reshape views of ancient African ecosystems, according to The Sacraments Bee.