A dinosaur fossil from 98 million years ago found in Argentina may be the largest animal that has ever walked Earth, research study
- Fossil remains – including tail and pelvic bones – were discovered in 2012
- The giant sauropod titanosaur dinosaur would have a long neck and tail
- It was preserved in a great muddy flood today in the Neuquén Region
- Researchers believe the remains may have belonged to a new species of sauropod
- It is thought to have been larger than the Patagotitan, which grew to about 121 feet in length.
The largest animal ever was the dinosaur fossil bones found in Argentina that would have destroyed the earth 98 million years ago.
Local palaeontologists found the remains – which include 24 vertebrae from the creature’s tail and some nearby pelvic bones – in the Neuquén Region in 2012.
It is believed to be a titanosaur, one of the largest sauropods – a cover of dinosaurs characterized by their large size, column-like legs and long neck and tails.
Although the team has not yet been able to confirm it as a new species, the fossils do not appear to match the remains of another known sauropod dinosaur.
The expert discovery may help to better understand how giant sauropod dinosaurs evolved and how they lived millions of years ago.
Despite the new discovery, the title of ‘largest animal ever’ is held by the blue whale – which is known to grow to 110 feet (33.6 meters) in size. length.
The largest animal ever was the fossil bones (pictured) of a dinosaur found in Argentina that would have destroyed the earth 98 million years ago
!['It is clear that the partially recovered titanosaur from the Candeleros Creation can be considered one of the largest titanosaurs,' the researchers wrote. ‘Body mass may be similar to Patagotitan [pictured, in a full sized model] no Argentinosaurus or even bigger '](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2021/01/18/19/38164470-9160381-image-m-180_1610997783308.jpg?resize=560%2C524&ssl=1)
‘It is clear that the partially recovered titanosaur from the Candeleros Creation can be considered one of the largest titanosaurs,’ the researchers wrote. ‘Body mass may be similar to Patagotitan [pictured, in a full sized model] no Argentinosaurus or even bigger ‘
The fossil remains have been found in layers of rock that geologists refer to as the ‘Candeleros Formation’ – and especially at a level that is to represent the deposits from muddy floods.
‘It is clear that the partially recovered titanosaur from the Candeleros Creation can be considered one of the largest titanosaurs,’ the researchers wrote.
‘Maybe a body mass is like Patagotitan or Argentinosaurus or even bigger,’ they said.
Patagotitan – first discovered in Argentina back in 2013 – is thought to have reached pieces larger than 121 feet (37 meters) and apparently weighed around 55-57 tons.
Unlike other remains excavated from the formation, this sample – dubbed ‘MOZ-Pv 1221’ – remained largely intact, suggesting that more of the skeleton was likely to be found in the same location. to which they were excavated.
In fact, the team reports that the bones of the dinosaur limbs have been found, but have not yet been excavated.
Due to the severity of the detection to date, the researchers said it was not yet possible to estimate the extent to which MOZ-Pv 1221 would be measured in their lifetime.
Unlike other remains excavated from the formation, this sample – dubbed ‘MOZ-Pv 1221’ – remained largely intact, suggesting that more of the skeleton was likely to be found in the same location. to which they were excavated. Pictured are an artist’s impression of MOZ-Pv 1221 and – below – two other sauropods from the same location, Limaysaurus (left) and Andesaurus (right)
Due to the severity of the detection to date, the researchers said it was not yet possible to estimate the extent to which MOZ-Pv 1221 would be measured in their lifetime. In the photograph, an artist’s impression of the silhouette of the sample, showing the as yet undiscovered bones
According to the researchers, the Neuquén Region would have been home to several sauropod species 98 million years ago – each of which would have played a different role, or ‘niche’, in the ecosystem and food web.
‘The sample reported here strongly suggests that the largest and medium-sized titanosaurs with small rebbachisaurids at the beginning of the Late Cretaceous […] marking the putative niche divide, ‘they said.
The full results of the study were published in the journal Cretaceous Research.
SAUROPODS: DINOSAURS LONG NECKED AND SMALL BRAINED
Sauropods were the first successful group of mushroom dinosaurs, dominating most terrestrial ecosystems for over 140 million years, from the Late Triassic to the Late Cretaceous.
They had a long neck and tails and a relatively small skull and brains.
They stretched to 130 feet (40 meters) and weighed up to 80 tons (80,000kg) – 14 times the weight of an African elephant.
Sauropods were the first successful group of raspberry dinosaurs, dominating most terrestrial ecosystems for more than 140 million years, from the Late Triassic to Late Cretaceous
They were vast – the remains of them were found on the continent except Antarctica.
They had nostrils above their skulls – rather than being located at the end of the nose like those at so many other terrestrial spines.
Some fossils show that these nostalgic openings were so far up the skull that they were very close to the openings of the eye.
Souropods such as the Diplodocus began to multiply in the Middle Jurassic about 180 million years ago.
Source: University of California Museum of Paleontology