Heavy rains in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul have brought to the surface an incredible discovery that had been hidden for millions of years.
A team led by paleontologist Rodrigo Temp Müller of the Federal University of Santa Maria came across an almost complete fossilized dinosaur skeleton.
Associated Press (AP) announced that it is believed to be one of the oldest dinosaurs in the world, dating back 233 million years. The remains were recovered from near a reservoir in the Brazilian municipality of Sao Joao do Polesine in the state.
said Müller AP that the study team was “surprised” to discover the bones. However, the findings have not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a journal.
The creature lived during the Triassic period, which lasted from 252 million to 201 million years ago. It was a time when all the continents were merged into a supercontinent known as Pangea.
A carnivorous dinosaur
In just four days, the team carefully excavated the site and carefully extracted the block of rock containing the entire skeleton. This block was then taken to the laboratory for further analysis.
Based on fossils, the dinosaur probably measured about 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) in length.
“At first it looked like just a few isolated bones, but when we exposed the material we were able to see that we had an almost complete skeleton,” Müller said. AP.
Brazilian scientists believe it belongs to the Herrerasauridae family, which includes the early apex theropod carnivores that lived in the Triassic period.
The fossilized remains are said to be remarkably well preserved and are potentially the second most complete Herrerasauridae skeleton ever found.
The Herrerasauridae is one of the first identified dinosaur families that dominated parts of present-day Brazil and Argentina. They were the top predators in their ecosystem and became extinct by the end of this period.
It’s not the first time Müller’s team has made exciting dinosaur finds in the area. Back in 2019, they announced the discovery of another carnivorous dinosaur from the Triassic period.
Remarkably well-preserved remains were found near Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. Especially this discovery from 2019, named Gnathorax cabreiraiit also belonged to the Herrerasauridae family and lived around the same time as the newly discovered specimen, roughly 233 million years ago.
The specimen could help bridge the evolutionary gap between these early Triassic predators and later, well-known theropods such as Tyrannosaurus Rex. G. cabreirai and the new specimen existed tens of millions of years before these giants.
Fossils exposed to rain
The Triassic period played a key role in preparing the ground for dinosaur dominance in the Jurassic and beyond. It was a period of recovery after a large-scale extinction event, accompanied by the emergence of new and diversified life forms.
Over the next few months, the team will conduct an in-depth analysis to determine whether the fossil represents an entirely new species or belongs to an already identified species.
According to APSometimes rain can help uncover a fossil because it washes away layers of sediment that have buried these remains for millions of years. This process, known as weathering, helps bring fossils closer to the surface, making them more likely to be discovered. However, it can also damage or destroy them if they are not quickly restored.
During the excavation, the team discovered several bones, including a leg bone and a pelvic bone, which had already been eroded by recent heavy rains.
Unfortunately, Rio Grande do Sul witnessed severe flooding this May, with the death toll at least 182.
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