Uragasaurus kalasinensis: New dinosaur discovered in Thailand
Paleontologists in Thailand say they have discovered a new dinosaur species from fossils found in Kalasin Province in the northeastern part of the country.
It is thought that the plant-eating dinosaur named Uragasaurus kalasinensis lived approximately 150 million years ago.
It had an unusually long neck and measured up to 20 meters (66 ft); This was roughly the length of a cricket field.
The lead author of the study is Dr. from Thailand’s Mahasarakham University. Apirat Nilphanaphan told BBC Thai that the specimen was part of a large collection of fossils from a site first identified in 2008 after a local man found pieces that resembled snake scales.
Phu Noi, the site of the discovery, contained a wide variety of fossils from the Late Jurassic period. More than 90% of the fossils recovered from the site were dinosaur parts.
When the research team went to investigate the area, they found other fossils such as dinosaur teeth and bones.
However, the fossil that led to the discovery of the new species was an unearthed dorsal vertebra (a bone from the middle or upper back) that showed distinctive features.
A computed tomography scan revealed that the dinosaur belonged to the Mamenchisauridae family of sauropod dinosaurs, which are characterized by their extremely long necks, which likely helped them reach plants at different heights.
While most fossils of the Mamenchisauridae family are found in China, this discovery is the first of its kind in Thailand.
The scan also revealed unique features, including a Y-shaped arrangement of supporting bones known as laminae.
Niphanaphan told BBC Thai that the features, especially the unique air cavity structure, were “unlike any other dinosaur in the world… That’s what makes it different.”
He said he smashed his computer after realizing they had discovered a new species, adding that he felt both “exhilarated and relieved”.
The study was published in the scientific journal Nature earlier this week.
In May, it was revealed that a different type of long-necked herbivorous dinosaur (nagatitan) had been identified in remains excavated by scientists in Thailand.
Nagatitan is the largest dinosaur found in Southeast Asia, weighing 27 tonnes (as much as nine adult Asian elephants) and measuring 27 meters (88 ft) long.
Additional reporting by Jiraporn Sricham
