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Dinosaur skeleton unearthed in Argentina

posted October 17, 2007 - 12:47am
Dinosaur skeleton unearthed in Argentina

The skeleton of what appears to be a new species of plant eating dinosaurs, measuring at 105 feet, is among the largest ever found. Scientists say the Patagonian dinosaur appears to be an unknown species of Titanosaur because the distinct neck structure. It was named Futalognkosaurus dukei after the Mapuche Indian words for "giant" and "chief". It was also named after Duke Energy Argentina who helped provide the funds for the excavation. This was the biggest and most complete of these dinosaurs that exist. This herbivore existed some 88 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. Since 2000, when the remains where first discovered on the shores of Lake Barreales, paleontologists have unearthed the neck, back region, hips, and the first vertebra of the tail. The neck is about 56 feet long, and by studying the vertebra, the tail is estimated at 49 feet. The dinosaur is over 43 feet tall and the spinal column weighed about 9 tons. One single neck vertebra measured over 3 feet tall. The excavation sight yielded more than 1,000 specimens, including 240 fossil plants, 300 teeth and the remains of several other dinosaurs. There is no other place in the world where there is such a large and diverse group of fossils in such a limited area.



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