Palaeontologists in Thailand have announced the discovery of a new species of dinosaur, based on fossils unearthed in Kalasin Province in the country's north-east. The plant-eating dinosaur, named Uragasaurus kalasinensis, is believed to have lived approximately 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period. It possessed an unusually long neck and measured up to 20 meters (66 feet) in length, roughly equivalent to the length of a cricket pitch.
Discovery and Excavation
Dr. Apirut Nilpanapan from Mahasarakham University, the lead author of the study, told BBC Thai that the specimen was part of a large fossil collection from a site first identified in 2008, when a local man found fragments resembling serpent scales. The site, known as Phu Noi, contained a wide variety of fossils from the Late Jurassic period. More than 90% of the fossils excavated from the site were dinosaur fragments. When the survey team explored the site, they found other fossils such as dinosaur teeth and bones. However, the fossil that led to the discovery of the new species was a recovered dorsal vertebra—a bone from the middle or upper back—which showed distinctive characteristics.
Unique Characteristics
A CT scan revealed that the dinosaur belonged to the Mamenchisauridae family of sauropod dinosaurs, characterized by their extremely long necks, which likely helped them reach vegetation at different heights. While most fossils from the Mamenchisauridae family have been found in China, this discovery is the first of its kind in Thailand. The scan also revealed unique characteristics, including a Y-shaped arrangement of supporting bones known as laminae. Nilpanapan told BBC Thai that the features, in particular a unique air-cavity structure, were “unlike any other dinosaur in the world... That’s what sets it apart.” He said he smashed his computer after realizing they had discovered a new species, adding that he felt both “exhilarated and relieved.”
Publication and Significance
The study was published in the Nature scientific journal earlier this week. In May, it was revealed that a different type of long-necked herbivore dinosaur—the nagatitan—had been identified by scientists from remains dug up in Thailand. The nagatitan is the largest-ever dinosaur found in South-East Asia, weighing 27 tonnes—as much as nine adult Asian elephants—and measuring 27 meters (88 feet) in length.
