A brand new species of monster has been unearthed in Argentina, belonging to an ancient lineage in evolutionary history.
The newly discovered creature has been named Sidersaura marae, and it belongs to the Rebbachisauridae family of giant sauropod dinosaurs.
According to preliminary analysis from the research team led by Dr. Lucas Nicolás Lerzo from Maimónides University and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Sidersaura marae was about 20 meters long and weighed approximately 15 tons when alive.
A giant fossil bone of the monster Sidersaura marae unearthed – (Photo: SPECIES NEW TO SCIENCE).
According to Sci-News, this newly discovered dinosaur lived in what is now Argentina during the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 96 to 93 million years ago.
Other relatives of this species, but within the same Rebbachisauridae family, have also been found across South America, Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia.
The appearance of Sidersaura marae when alive – (Graphic: Gabriel Diaz Yantén).
“Rebbachisauridae were very important dinosaurs in the ecosystem of the Cretaceous period and disappeared in the middle of this era during a mass extinction event that occurred 90 million years ago,” said Dr. Lerzo.
Additionally, the authors noted that Sidersaura marae is one of the last Rebbachisauridae species, but it also belongs to an ancient lineage from an evolutionary standpoint.
This indicates that towards the end of their era, some of the oldest species of this family still survived, including the recently “manifested” creature in Argentina.
The fossilized remains of Sidersaura marae were discovered in rocks from the Huincul formation in Neuquén Province, Patagonia, Argentina.
Among the fossils found were vertebrae from the sacral region and a partially articulated tail, bones from the hind limbs, parts of the skull, and vertebrae from the tail.
Moreover, the specimens also exhibited unique characteristics, including the star-shaped structure of the tail vertebrae and a skull with holes in the forehead region.
Additionally, this is one of the species with the most robust skeletons among the giant sauropod dinosaurs, which are the largest dinosaurs ever to have existed on Earth.
The largest lineage of sauropod dinosaurs is the titanosaur group, with the largest individuals possibly weighing up to 69 tons. Many titanosaur fossils have also been excavated in Patagonia, Argentina.
