Unbelievable Discovery: Man Finds Skeleton, Largest Dinosaur Ever Found in Europe

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

Discover the Lost Star Gate of Samarkand, Uzbekistan: Unearthed in 1903 and Full of Mystery

In the shadows of history, nestled among the majestic Alai Mountains of Uzbekistan, lies the ancient city of Samarkand. Known to the Greeks as Marakanda, this city has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, from the Persians to Alexander the Great, and …

Read more

Ancient Sea Monster Duel Revealed by Fossil—A Rare Discovery of Prehistoric Ocean Conflicts

Look into the jaws of a Mosasaurus and you will gaze into a nightmare. The seagoing lizard’s curved teeth stand in a line that point backwards to the throat, an extra set of piercing teeth on the roof of the mouth guaranteeing that any journey into the …

Read more

“Mermaid Mummy” Discovered: Scientists Uncover a Strange Hybrid of Fish, Monkey, and Reptile

An alleged mermaid body fished out in the early 1900s was analysed as scientists hoped to get to the bottom of the creepy figure, which turned out to be parts of a monkey, fish and reptile combined A mysterious “mermaid” mummy is part fish, part monkey …

Read more

230-Million-Year-Old ‘Hybrid’ Creature Unearthed—A Fascinating Mix of Crocodile and Bird

Αt the eпd of the Trіassіc рeriod, the lапd of whаt іs пow the ѕtate of Wyomіпg of the Uпіted Stаtes exіsted а ѕtraпge beаst wіth а рarrot-like beаk, а dіпosaυr body. It wаs паmed Beeѕiiwo сooowυse, а пew ѕpecieѕ. The Beаst Jυѕt Αррeared іп ΑmerіcaThe …

Read more

Discover the 4000-Year-Old Woman Found with Stunning Bronze Jewelry and Distinctive Headdress

Archaeologists have made a stunning discovery in an ancient burial site, unearthing the remains of a woman adorned with elaborate bronze ornaments and a unique headdress, dating back approximately 4000 years. This remarkable find sheds new light on the …

Read more

Skeleton of Pregnant Mother and Unborn Child Unearthed, Revealing Tragic Ancient Story!

Unraveling the Tragic Tale of an Ancient Mother and Child In the annals of history, there are discoveries that not only shed light on the past but also evoke a profound sense of empathy and sorrow. Such is the case with the recent discovery of a skeleton …

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.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