Giant Long-Necked Dinosaur From 120 Million Years Ago Discovered in Thailand

Stylized beingness reconstruction of Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis. Credit: Patchanop Boonsai / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Gigantic fossils discovered successful Thailand person revealed a caller taxon of long-necked dinosaur that lived astir 120 cardinal years ago, according to a caller study. Scientists said the dinosaur roamed a blistery and semi-arid situation successful what is present northeastern Thailand during the Early Cretaceous period.

Researchers named the taxon Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis. The dinosaur is present considered the largest sauropod, oregon long-necked plant-eating dinosaur, ever recovered successful Southeast Asia. Sauropods were known for their towering necks, monolithic bodies, and agelong tails.

Details astir the species

The recently identified taxon apt stretched astir 90 feet (27 meters) successful magnitude and weighed astir 30 tons (27 metric tons), researchers reported Thursday successful the diary Scientific Reports. Study pb writer Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul said the dinosaur apt weighed astatine slightest 10 tons much than “Dippy,” the celebrated Diplodocus carnegii skeleton displayed successful museums.

Despite its tremendous size, the dinosaur was inactive smaller than immoderate of the elephantine sauropods discovered successful South America. Scientists said Patagotitan and Argentinosaurus were apt much than doubly arsenic heavy.

Fossils uncovered adjacent a drying pond

The fossils were discovered successful the Khok Kruat Formation successful Chaiyaphum Province. The find began successful 2016 aft a nonmigratory noticed antithetic bones exposed adjacent a drying pond.

Researchers aboriginal excavated respective important fossils from the site, including vertebrae, pelvic bones, and ample limb bones. The squad besides recovered the dinosaur’s close femur, oregon thigh bone. Although the bony had breached into pieces, scientists estimated it primitively measured astir 6.5 feet (2 meters) long, astir the tallness of a gangly big human.

Schematic practice of the skeleton of Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis. Credit: Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

The dinosaur belonged to a subgroup of sauropods known arsenic somphospondylans, which lived from the precocious Jurassic into the Cretaceous period. Fossils from this radical person been recovered connected each continent, showing however wide they dispersed crossed the prehistoric world.

Scientists identified the caller taxon by examining the chiseled shapes of its vertebrae and limb bones, which differed from those of antecedently known sauropods.

Name reflects mythology and section culture

The genus sanction Nagatitan combines taste and mythological references. “Naga” refers to serpent-like mythical beings recovered successful galore Asian traditions, peculiarly successful northeastern Thailand, wherever they are linked to h2o and Buddhism. “Titan” comes from the giants of Greek mythology. The taxon sanction honors Chaiyaphum Province, wherever the fossils were found.

Researchers said the elephantine dinosaur apt utilized its monolithic assemblage and ample aboveground country to merchandise vigor and enactment chill successful the region’s harsh climate. The country was erstwhile portion of a stream system, and the dinosaur astir apt lived alongside crocodiles, fish, and fish-eating pterosaurs.

The fossils were preserved successful the youngest stone layers successful Thailand, inactive known to incorporate dinosaur remains. Scientists said the portion aboriginal became covered by a shallow oversea adjacent the extremity of the property of dinosaurs, conditions that apt prevented newer dinosaur fossils from forming. Researchers judge the find whitethorn correspond 1 of the past elephantine sauropods to unrecorded successful Southeast Asia.