Invictibellatrix

unconquered female warrior

The genus name Invictibellatrix is Latin for "unconquered female warrior," chosen to honor the megaraptoran group's eventual rise to become massive apex predators.

Named by

Morrison, et al.

Year named

2026

Period

Early Cretaceous

Found in

Isle of Wight

As an early and relatively small megaraptoran, it measured about 3 to 4 meters in length. Instead of relying on powerful jaws like a T. rex, it used muscular arms and long, curved claws to capture its prey. The identifying fossil was a partial braincase found on the southwest coast of the Isle of Wight. It was acquired by London's Natural History Museum in 1924 and sat in a drawer largely unexamined for nearly a century before being properly identified. Researchers note it used large, curved claws to hunt smaller prey and is the first megaraptoran ever discovered in Europe.