Pesquisadores identified a new species of sauropod dinosaur in Chaiyaphum, northeast of Tailândia. The animal, named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, weighed approximately 27 tons and measured around 27 meters in total length. The discovery was published in the magazine Scientific Reports this Thursday. The fossil remains were found ten years ago by local residents next to a community lake. Escavações occurred between 2016 and 2019, with additional work completed in 2024. The dinosaur lived between 100 million and 120 million years ago, during the Cretáceo Inferior period.
The research team analyzed bones from the animal’s legs, spine, ribs and pelvis. The work was led by Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, a Thai PhD student based on Londres. Pesquisadores from Thai institutions and University College London used 3D scans to study the materials. Comparações with other sauropods revealed unique characteristics that justified classification as a new species. The size of Nagatitan dwarfs other sauropods known from the Southeast Asian region.
Colossal Úmero impresses researchers from first observation
The arm bone, known as the humerus, measured 1.78 meters in length. Esse element caught the team’s attention from the first contact with the fossils. Quando Thitiwoot saw the bone for the first time, the material surpassed his own height. Fieldwork took place during the dry season, when the water level dropped and exposed the remains preserved in the rock formation. The Chaiyaphum region offers ideal conditions for the preservation of fossils due to less exposure to rain and native vegetation that helps maintain ancient archaeological materials.
The bony elements analyzed include significant skeletal structures:
- Úmero 1.78 meters long
- Fêmur almost full legs
- Partes significant spinal column
- Costelas and elements of the pelvis
- Restos compatible with meandering river habitat
Scientific Nome combines Asian mythology and classical references
The dinosaur received a name that combines cultural references and geographic location. “Naga” refers to a mythical serpent from Southeast Asian folklore, an important figure in Thai tradition. “Titan” references the giants of classical Greek mythology. The suffix “chaiyaphumensis” indicates the province where the fossils were discovered. Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul described the animal as “the last titan”. The Khok Kruat formation, from which the bones came, represents one of the most recent layers with dinosaurs in Tailândia. Após During this geological period, the region turned into a shallow sea.
Nagatitan’s size significantly dwarfs other known sauropods. The researcher compared the giant to Diplodocus Dippy, the famous skeleton exposed in Museu of História Natural of Londres. The Nagatitan weighed at least ten tons more than the Diplodocus. The animal lived in a hot and dry environment, close to rivers that were home to fish, freshwater sharks, crocodiles and turtles. Seu size offered protection against predators of the time.
Tailândia consolidates position as a relevant paleontological center
Nagatitan becomes the largest known dinosaur in Southeast Asia. Tailândia now has fourteen named dinosaur species. The finding indicates that large sauropods thrived in Ásia during Cretáceo Médio, a period marked by warmer climate than previous times. The environment included other medium-sized, iguanodont-like dinosaurs. Formas primitive ceratopsids, relatives of Triceratops, also inhabited the region.
Cientistas estimate that the animal fed on the tops of tall trees, taking advantage of its elongated neck. A full-size reconstruction of the skeleton is displayed in Thainosaur Museum, in Bangcoc. The research center set up at the discovery site continues to host studies on Asian sauropods.
Colaboração International Drives Paleontological Advances
The team involved Departamento of Recursos Minerais of Tailândia, local universities and University College London. The collaboration between Thai and international researchers proved to be strategic for the success of the project. Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul fulfilled a childhood dream by naming a new species from his country. The specific anatomical details justified the separation of Nagatitan from other known sauropods. The publication in Scientific Reports details the precise measurements of each bone structure analyzed, with a total length estimated at 27 meters according to calculations derived from the preserved bones. The rock formation at Tailândia has a large thickness of sediment from Mesozoico, offering potential for new future discoveries.