Man Discovers Largest Dinosaur Skeleton Ever Found in Europe in His Backyard

Imagine waking up one fine day, only to find out that one of the most gigantic creatures to have ever walked the Earth once resided in your backyard.

image

The research carried out at the Monte Agudo paleontological site underlines the importance of the fossil record of vertebrates in the Pombal region (Portugal). Image credit: Instituto Dom Luiz (Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon)

That’s exactly what happened to a man from the city of Pombal in Portugal, while carrying out some construction work in his garden back in 2017. He discovered fragments of fossilized bones of what looked like a enormous dinosaur!

The man than contacted researchers from the University of Lisbon, who began unearthing the vertebrae and ribs of what they think is a brachiosaurid sauropod – a herbivorous, long-necked quadrupedal dinosaur – earlier this month. The gigantic, 39-foot-tall sauropod – probably the biggest of all dinosaurs and the largest land animal ever to have lived – roamed this area during the Late Jurassic Period about 160 to 100 million years ago.

image

Researchers excavate the fossilized ribs of a sauropod at the Monte Agudo paleontological site in Pombal, Portugal. Image credit: Instituto Dom Luiz (Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Portugal)

Given the natural position that the skeleton was found in, paleontologists are hopeful that further excavation may uncover more parts of the same dinosaur.

“It is not common for all of an animal’s ribs to be preserved in this condition, much less in their original anatomical position. This preservation method is relatively uncommon in the fossil record of dinosaurs, especially sauropods, from the Portuguese Upper Jurassic,” says Elizabeth Malafaya, University of Lisbon, Portugal (Ciencias Ulísboa) Graduate Researcher, Faculty of Science.

image

The sauropod’s ribs were preserved in their original anatomical position. Image credit: Instituto Dom Luiz (Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Portugal)

The fossils were found in Upper Jurassic sedimentary rocks, suggesting they are about 150m years old.

“[This discovery] confirms that the region of Pombal has an important fossil record of Late Jurassic vertebrates, which in the last decades has provided the discovery of abundant materials very significant for the knowledge of the continental faunas that inhabited the Iberian Peninsula at about 145m years ago,” Malafaia added.

Parts of the unearthed remains are yet to be treated in a laboratory to remove all the sediments. Once that’s done, further studies will be conducted for accurate identification and exhibition.

Related Posts

Descubriendo el increíble tesoro escondido bajo las piedras.

[contenido incrustado] Un hallazgo sorprendente dejó a todos asombrados: se descubrió un tesoro extraordinario escondido debajo de unas piedras comunes. Este descubrimiento extraordinario, que tuvo lugar en un pintoresco pueblo enclavado entre colinas onduladas, ha provocado un gran revuelo…

Read more

¡Ansioso por descubrir los tesoros ocultos de la brillante Gruta de Treasure Mountain!

Como creo que tengo ganas de disfrutar de Tгeаѕᴜгe Moᴜptаіп, debo buscar algo Quise por un momento, me complací y me pregunté si le había dado un golpe o algo así. Me encontré con una cueva del tesoro escondido…

Read more

Un tierno bebé arrasa en Internet: su inocencia derrite corazones en todas partes.

Un adorable bebé conquista Internet: una inocencia que derrite corazones en todas partes En un mundo lleno de contenido infinito, no hay nada …

Read more

Una historia conmovedora de maternidad con adorables bebés gemelos.

La estrella de The Bachelor, Laureen Burham, ha escrito una emotiva nota sobre sus nuevos hijos, ya que su hija sigue preocupada. La nueva mamá anunció el nacimiento de sus hijos esta semana, pero hasta ahora solo ha podido llevarse a uno de ellos a casa. La estrella de The Bachelor…

Read more

¡2.500 monedas de oro descubiertas después de 1.800 años!

El tesoro de oro de Tréveris, la mayor colección de oro romaní jamás encontrada, fue descubierta en 1993 durante las excavaciones. Este impresionante descubrimiento consta de 2.500 piezas de oro con un peso total de 18,5 kg, ocultas durante casi 1.800 años. …

Read more

Explora la estatua de la cobra dorada de 500 kg y otros tesoros preciosos

Con un extraordinario golpe de suerte, la determinación y la perseverancia de un mapa en un esfuerzo de excavación condujeron a la aparición de un tesoro impresionante: una estatua de cobra dorada muy oculta en las profundidades. Este notable fipd…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *