Mysterious
qq Unexpected Discovery: Man Uncovers Skeleton in His Backyard – Revealed to Be Europe’s Largest Dinosaur Ever Found.
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.
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.
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.
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.
-
Mysterious16m ago
LS ””Astonishing Discovery in Australia: Massive Shark Encounters Unidentified Marine Creature!””
-
Mysterious17m ago
LS ””Delving into the Mystery: Fisherman Encounters Astonishing Pink-Skinned Creature Off the Coast of Cabo, Mexico in American Territory””
-
Mysterious19h ago
LS ””An American angler was filled with profound emotions as he watched the fish he had released into the water a month ago return, seemingly displaying gratitude.””
-
Mysterious1d ago
.Deciphering the Mystery: Countless Fish Falling from the Sky Leave Onlookers Astonished and Puzzled!..D
-
Mysterious1d ago
.Brave Deed of the Courageous Ocean Explorer: Rescuing Enormous 40-Foot Shark from Metal Fish Hook, Unveiling Riveting Rescue Drama!..D
-
Mysterious1d ago
FS Explore Cappadocia, the central highlands of Anatolia, which is like Türkiye’s brightest star
-
Mysterious2d ago
FS Delve deeper into the Mystical Beauty of Kandovan Rocky Village
-
Mysterious2d ago
FS Admire the giant 16th century ‘Colossus’ Sculpture in Florence, Italy complete with hidden rooms inside