Brazilian and Argentinian palaeontologists have discovered the largely complete fossil of a new species of giant dinosaur that roamed what is now northern Patagonia about 80-million years ago.
The herbivorous Futalognkosaurus dukei measured between 32m and 34m from head to tail.
”It’s a new species; it’s a new group,” Argentinian palaeontologist Juan Porfiri told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The fossil was 70% preserved, which compares with about 10% for other giant dinosaur finds in the world.
Its name is derived from the indigenous Mapuche language, meaning ”giant chief of the lizards”, and the name of United States power company Duke Energy Corp, which financed a large part of the excavation in Argentina.
The first fossils were found in 2000. — Reuters