Recent paleontological research in Morocco has unveiled significant findings that enhance our understanding of dinosaur diversity during the Late Cretaceous period. These discoveries, including fossils of abelisaurids and hadrosaurids, provide valuable insights into the ecosystems of North Africa just before the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event.
In the Ouled Abdoun Basin, fossils of two new abelisaurid species have been identified. These carnivorous dinosaurs, related to the Tyrannosaurus rex, were part of a diverse predator community in the region. The presence of these species suggests that North Africa maintained a rich and varied dinosaur fauna up to the end of the Cretaceous period.
Additionally, the discovery of a new hadrosaurid species, *Minqaria bata*, adds to the known diversity of duck-billed dinosaurs in Morocco. This species, along with others like *Ajnabia odysseus* and *Taleta taleta*, indicates that hadrosaurids were more widespread in Africa than previously thought, challenging earlier assumptions about their distribution.
These findings underscore the complexity and diversity of dinosaur ecosystems in North Africa during the Late Cretaceous, offering new perspectives on the evolutionary history of these ancient creatures.