TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Scientists announce discovery of Brazil's largest dinosaur

  (Associated Press)
Sao Paulo
Fri, October 7, 2016 Published on Oct. 7, 2016 Published on 2016-10-07T05:52:44+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Scientists announce discovery of Brazil's largest dinosaur Vertebrae of the "Austroposeidon magnificus" dinosaur are displayed at the Earth Sciences Museum, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Oct. 6. Brazilian scientists say they have discovered the largest dinosaur ever found in South America's biggest country. (AP/Silvia Izquierdo)

B

razilian scientists on Wednesday announced the discovery of what they say is the largest dinosaur ever found in South America's biggest country.

Diogenes Campos, director of Rio de Janeiro's Earth Sciences Museum, said he named the 25-meter-long dinosaur "Austroposeidon magnificus." It belonged to the Titanosaur group of herbivores that had large bodies, long necks and tails and relatively small skulls, he said.

He said the titanosaur was about 6 to 8 meters tall and lived in what is now Brazil some 70 million years ago.

Fossils of the dinosaur's neck and spinal vertebrae were found near the city of Presidente Prudente in Sao Paulo state in the 1950s by paleontologist Llewellyn Ivor Price, who died in 1980 without being acknowledged for the discovery.

Paleontologist Alexander Kellner said Price had so many other specimens to identify that he did not have time to get to Austroposeidon magnificus. The bones weren't studied until recent years.

Titanosaurs lived during the Cretaceous Period in areas that today are in South America, Africa, Antarctica and Australia.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.