New Dinosaur Discovered in Argentina
In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet) of Argentina have unearthed fossils of an unknown species of long-necked herbivorous dinosaur in the province of Neuquén in the south of the country.
The newly discovered species has been named Sidersaura marae, characterized by its wide duck-like snout and the bones of its spine filled with spaces with air. It belongs to the rebaquisaurid family and although not distinguished by its large size, it is the largest species of the family with an estimated weight of 15 tons and a length of 18 to 20 meters.
What sets Sidersaura apart from its close relatives is the star-shaped shape of its hemal arches, the bones of the tail, and its robust skull bones. According to the paleontologists responsible for the research, the species was quadruped with a long tail.
The fossils found correspond to four different specimens and were discovered in the area known as Cañadón de Las Campanas, located 20 kilometers from Villa El Chocón, in Neuquén. Among the paleontological remains found were partially articulated vertebrae of the sacral area and tail, bones of the hind limbs, parts of the skull and loose vertebrae of the tail.
The rocks where the remains were found make up the Huincul Formation, which dates back to the Upper Cretaceous period and is estimated to be between 96 and 93 million years old.
The findings have been detailed in the journal Historical Biology, marking a significant milestone in the field of paleontology and shedding new light on the prehistoric world.