Fossil enthusiasts and experts made an extraordinary discovery in a Maryland park—the most extensive collection of fossils from various species ever found on the East Coast. These fossils, including those from dinosaurs and stingrays, date back over 100 million years, providing valuable insights into the ancient past.
In April, a group of paleontologists and volunteers from the Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George’s County, Md., stumbled upon a 3-foot-long shin bone believed to belong to a theropod, a branch of the dinosaur family that includes formidable carnivores like Tyrannosaurus rex. This astonishing find marked the first identification of a meat-eating dinosaur of this size on the East Coast of the United States.
JP Hodnett, a paleontologist with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, expressed his excitement about the bonebed discovery, stating that it is a dream come true for many paleontologists. These bonebeds offer a wealth of information about the ancient environments that preserved the fossils and provide new details about extinct animals that were previously only known through a handful of specimens.
Researchers officially designated this unique discovery as a “bonebed,” a term used by paleontologists to describe the concentration of bones from one or more species within a specific geologic layer. Remarkably, this is the first dinosaur bonebed found in Maryland since 1887.
Further investigation connected the shin bone to Acrocanthosaurus, the largest theropod of the Early Cretaceous period, estimated to be an astonishing 38 feet long. The announcement of this groundbreaking discovery happened at Dinosaur Park in South Laurel, Md., which is about 25 miles southwest of Baltimore. The bonebed was uncovered during a dig experience program where members of the public have the opportunity to search for fossils.
Advait Jukar, a paleontology expert at the University of Arizona, noted that bonebeds are rare on the East Coast, with fossil discoveries consisting mostly of isolated finds like claws or teeth. He stated that this finding could be one of the most significant in the history of dinosaur paleontology on the East Coast, highlighting the unprecedented nature of this site.
Dr. Jukar explained that excavations with multiple species are more typical in the West, where the erosive forces of the growing Rocky Mountains expose fossils due to uplifted dirt and layers of rock. Additionally, drier conditions contribute to the preservation of fossils in that region.
Dinosaur Park in Maryland has been a hotspot for fossil discoveries since the mid-1800s when it was an iron mine. However, this latest excavation, dating back to 2014, yielded remarkable finds. Park staff members encountered a large rock with a fossil embedded in it, but the challenging nature of the sedimentary rock required a patient approach to natural erosion.
By 2018, the staff determined that the rock was ready for excavation, but the project faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually resuming in 2021. The initial significant finding was the neck bones of a dinosaur, followed by the discovery of other parts such as turtle skeletal elements, isolated dinosaur bones, and teeth from dinosaurs and crocodiles.
Among the notable findings were fossils from a Priconodon, a large armored dinosaur; an Ornithomimoid, an ostrich-like dinosaur; a Deinonychus, a birdlike predatory dinosaur; and the remains of the oldest stingray in North America. These discoveries will significantly contribute to paleontologists’ understanding of the Cretaceous period’s ecosystem in that particular area of Maryland. The variety of species found allows for insights into the climate and food chain from millions of years ago, offering a captivating glimpse into what the United States looked like 115 million years ago.
The unprecedented scope of this fossil discovery emphasizes its significance in unraveling the mysteries of our ancient past.
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