Rare Duckbill Dinosaur Fossils Unearthed in Morocco

Fossils of pony-sized duckbill dinosaurs, including a new species named Minqaria bata, have been discovered in Morocco, shedding light on the surprising diversity of duckbills in North Africa at the end of the Cretaceous period. The findings suggest that duckbills managed to cross the Tethys Sea and quickly evolved to take advantage of open niches, becoming highly diverse once they colonized Africa. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about dinosaur distribution and highlights the significance of the Moroccan phosphates in providing insights into past biodiversity.