Scientists have announced the identification of an Antarctic dinosaur fossil that remained stored in a drawer for several decades. The discovery reveals important details about prehistoric life on the icy continent.
The bone in question belongs to the tail of a titanosaur, a type of herbivorous dinosaur with a long neck. However, the exact species to which it belongs has not yet been determined by researchers.
The piece was originally found in 1985, during an expedition to James Ross Island, in Antarctica, by geologist Mike Thomson. He, who worked with the British Antarctic Survey, was mapping the rock formations in the area and collecting fossils of marine reptiles to help with future dating, recording the bone as belonging to a large reptile.
Rediscovery of the bone by a paleontologist changed the history of the fossil
Many years later, paleontologist Mark Evans found the bone in the collections of the British Antarctic Survey and hypothesized that it could be from a dinosaur. He and other scientists examined the shape of the bone and compared it to other, more complete dinosaur remains, confirming the nature of the discovery. The results were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
The location of dinosaur fossils in Antarctica is unusual due to the extensive ice caps. However, millions of years ago, when this dinosaur inhabited the region, it was covered by dense forests, creating “a very different and much more hospitable place than we imagine today”, said Paul Barrett, co-author of the study and member of the Natural History Museum in London.
The dinosaur, which measured approximately 7 meters in length, was considered small for its group and was possibly young at the time of its death. The exact cause of his demise remains unknown, but researchers believe his body floated away from the coast and sank to the sea floor, where it fossilized in marine rocks.
Technological advances allowed for a more in-depth analysis of the find
Since the tail bone was discovered, technology has advanced considerably, allowing scientists to analyze the inside of the bones and obtain more detailed data about ancient creatures. Mike Thomson passed away in 2020, before the fossil was officially identified as a dinosaur.
“If he were still with us, I would be delighted to know what this is,” commented Evans, one of the study’s co-authors, about the late identification.
