Paleontologists in Portugal have unearthed the fossilized skeletal remains of what they say is Europe’s biggest sauropod dinosaur.
Paleontologists with the fossilized remains of a Jurassic brachiosaurid dinosaur. Image credit: Instituto Dom Luiz, University of Lisbon.
The newfound dinosaur roamed our planet during the Jurassic period, over 145 million years ago.
The ancient animal probably exceeded 25 m (82 feet) in total length and 12 m (39.4 feet) in height.
It belonged to Brachiosauridae, a family of quadrupedal sauropod dinosaurs that lived from the Upper Jurassic to the Lower Cretaceous epoch, between 160 and 100 million years ago.
These dinosaurs had long necks that enabled them to access the leaves of tall trees that other sauropods would have been unable to reach.
They also possessed thick spoon-shaped teeth which helped them to consume tough plants.
“Some of the most emblematic dinosaur species belong to this family, such as Brachiosaurus altithorax and Giraffatitan brancai, as well as the Portuguese Late Jurassic species, Lusotitan atalaiensis,” said University of Lisbon paleontologist Elisabete Malafaia and colleagues.
The first fossils of the brachiosaurid dinosaur were uncovered in 2017 in a backyard in Pombal, a city in the central region of Portugal.
“The owner of a property in Pombal noticed the presence of several fragments of fossilized bones in his yard, when carrying out construction works, and contacted us,” the paleontologists said.
“More recently, between August 1 and 10, 2022, we unearthed an important set of elements of the axial skeleton, including vertebrae and ribs.”
“It is not usual to find all the ribs of an animal like this, let alone in this position, maintaining their original anatomical position,” they added.
“This mode of preservation is relatively uncommon in the fossil record of dinosaurs, in particular sauropods, from the Portuguese Upper Jurassic,” Dr. Malafaia said.
“The preservation characteristics of the fossils and their disposition indicate the possible presence of other parts of the skeleton of this individual.”
Source link: https://www.sci.news/paleontology/portugal-brachiosaurid-dinosaur-11146.html
