By Madeleine Muzdakis on February 2, 2021
The dig team uncovering fossils of the 98 million-year-old titanosaur in Neuquén Province, Argentina. (Photo: Alejandro Otero and José Luis Carballido/CONICET)
The region of Patagonia is known for its beautiful vistas; but among paleontologists, the region is also known for its fossils. Rich deposits of bones have revealed the presence of giant dinosaurs who once walked the river deltas of the region. A recent paper published in
Cretaceous Research has announced an exciting new find from the Neuquén Province in Argentina, which lies in the northwest part of Patagonia. Years of careful excavation have revealed vertebrae and pelvic bones belonging to a mysterious, giant sauropod—a type of dinosaur with a long neck, long tail, and four legs. The researchers plan to continue digging for the rest of the skeleton, but they are already suggesting this may be the largest animal that ever walked on Earth.
Paleontologists Unearth Giant Dinosaur Fossils That Could Belong to Largest Land Creature Ever Known
Paleontologists have uncovered the fossilized remains of a 98-million-year-old dinosaur in Argentina, believing it could be one of the largest land creatures ever to have existed.
The remains, comprising 24 tail vertebrae and parts of the pelvic and pectoral girdle, were discovered within the Candeleros Formation, a dense sedimentary rock formation in Neuquén Province in Argentina’s northwest Patagonia, reports CNN. Paleontologists discovered the fossilized remains of a 98-million-year-old titanosaur in Neuquén Province in Argentina’s northwest Patagonia (Courtesy of Alejandro Otero and José Luis Carballido)
Now a team of South American paleontologists have unearthed the fossilized remains of a massive 98 million-year-old titanosaur in Neuquén Province in Argentina's northwest Patagonia, and it just might be the largest earthly dinosaur specimen ever discovered.
Headed up by researchers from The Zapala Museum, Museo de La Plata, Museo Egidio Feruglio, and the universities of Río Negro and Zaragoza, the fossilized remains were extracted from the site's dense sedimentary deposits known as the Candeleros Formation.
Credit: Getty Images
As described in a new study published in the online journal Cretaceous Research, the fossil's 24 vertebrae of the tail and portions of the pelvic and pectoral girdle excavated are believed to belong to a new titanosaur whose enormous size could eclipse that of previously discovered mega relatives like Patagotitan.
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New Dinosaur Fossils Discovered In Argentina Could Be The 'largest Animal To Roam Earth'
The 98-million-year-old fossils of a dinosaur were recently in Argentina. This discovery could be of the largest animal to walk on Earth yet. Know all details.
Scientists have yet again unearthed another mystery. This time, it's a 98-million-year-old fossil in Southwest Argentina. Experts believe that the remains discovered could be of the largest animal to walk on Earth.
Credits: Natural History Museum
Back in 2012, the remains of a similar species were discovered in the Neuquén Province of northwest Patagonia. The remains haven't fully been excavated yet but are reported to have been that of a titanosaur. Titanosaurs are among the largest sauropods, if not the largest, to have lived from the Jurassic period (163.5 million to 145 million years ago) to the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago). These dinosaurs are described to have been long and thin necked with a long whiplike tail and a four-legged stance. A recent study also found that these giants were in fact herbivores. Titanosaur fossils have been found everywhere except Antarctica, and the largest ones have mostly been discovered in Patagonia alone. Patagonia region, located at the Southernmost tip of South America, has been known to be home to such walking giants.