The plant-eater's skeleton came
complete with fossilised leaves
Posted on 10/16/2007 6:29:07 AM PDT by yankeedame
Last Updated: Monday, 15 October 2007, 23:32 GMT 00:32 UK
The plant-eater's skeleton came
complete with fossilised leaves
Scientists think they have found a new species of giant plant-eating dinosaur, Futalognkosaurus dukei, that roamed the earth some 80m years ago.
It would have measured at least 32m (105ft) in height, making it one of the tallest dinosaurs ever found, Argentine and Brazilian palaeontologists say.
The skeleton showed signs that its owner had been eaten by predators.
The excavation site in Argentina has yielded a series of specimens since the first fossils were found there in 2000.
The skeleton found in Patagonia appears to represent a previously unknown species because of the unique structure of its neck.
Its name (pronounced foo-ta-long-koh-sohr-us) derives from the Mapuche Indian words for "giant chief of the lizards" and for Duke Energy Argentina, a company which helped fund the its excavation.
'Something fantastic'
"This is one of the biggest [dinosaurs] in the world and one of the most complete of these giants that exist," said Jorge Calvo, director of the palaeontology centre at the National University of Comahue, Argentina.
Patagonia is rich in remains like
this exposed dino spine
He is lead author of a study on the dinosaur published in the peer-reviewed Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.
The dinosaur's remains are thought to have washed into a river, creating a barrier that collected the remains of other now-fossilised animals, fish and even leaves found at the site.
Since the first bones were found on the banks of Lake Barreales in the Argentine province of Neuquen in 2000, palaeontologists have dug up the dinosaur's neck, back region, hips and the first vertebra of its tail.
"It's among the biggest dinosaur finds and the most complete for a giant dinosaur," Alexander Kellner, a researcher with the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, told Reuters news agency.
"The accumulation of fish and leaf fossils, as well as other dinosaurs around the find, is just something fantastic. Leaves and dinosaurs together is a great rarity. It's like a whole lost world for us."
Researchers say the fossilised ecosystem points to a warm and humid climate in Patagonia, which had forests during the Late Cretaceous period.
The area is steppe-like now and almost bare of vegetation.
Futalognkosaurus dukei?
Now I guess I’m gonna have to pronounce that for my kids while reading dinosaur books.
It is interesting that man made such a mess of the area. Cutting down all the vegetation and such. I guess man can change the environment and cause havoc. Poor dinosaurs they probably all starved to death from deforestation.
alas...
105-Foot Dinosaur Unearthed in Argentina
Associated Press | 10/15/2007 | Michael Astor
Posted on 10/15/2007 5:00:35 PM EDT by Alter Kaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1911587/posts
|
|
|
| GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach | |
|
|
Thanks yankeedame. |
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.