New giant dinosaur fossil discovered in Argentina
Photo: Nicolas Chimento/Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales/Handout via REUTERS/NTB
Paleontologists have discovered the fossils of a new type of long-necked herbivorous dinosaur in the Patagonia region of southern Argentina.
The dinosaur – called “Chucarosaurus Diripienda” – was one of the largest ever found, weighing 50 tons and 30 meters long, according to paleontologists.
Chucarosaurus lived about 90 million years ago.
The dinosaur discoveries were presented on Thursday, but the fossils were first discovered by scientists in 2018, writes Reuters.
According to the news agency, the fossils were so large that the van that was supposed to transport them to the capital, Buenos Aires, overturned. Neither people nor fossils were harmed in the incident, but it did inspire the name – which means “boiled and chopped (scrambled)”.
In total, about 140 types of dinosaurs have been discovered in Argentina, and this is not the first time giant dinosaurs have been found in Patagonia. Here lived, among other things, the largest dinosaur ever discovered, Patagotitan mayorum, weighing 69 tons.
According to paleontologist Matias Motta, Chucarosaurus was at the top in terms of size and weight, but fossils of the dinosaur’s hips, forelimbs and hind limbs show it was slimmer and more graceful in build.
Photo: Nicolas Chimento/Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales/Handout via REUTERS/NTB
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