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Thailand yields largest Southeast Asian dinosaur
Scientists have identified a previously unknown sauropod species from fossils unearthed in northeastern Thailand, naming it the largest dinosaur ever found in Southeast Asia.
Colossal proportions
The newly named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis tipped the scales at 27 metric tons-equivalent to nine adult Asian elephants-and stretched 27 meters (88 feet) from head to tail. Its dimensions surpass those of the well-known Diplodocus, placing it among the titanic long-necked herbivores that dominated the Mesozoic era.
Discovery and naming
A joint British-Thai research team analyzed fossils excavated a decade ago near a pond in Chaiyaphum province. The dinosaur's name blends Southeast Asian folklore and Greek mythology: "naga" references a serpent deity, "titan" evokes the Greek gods, and "chaiyaphumensis" honors the discovery site.
The species roamed Earth between 100 and 120 million years ago, predating Tyrannosaurus rex by roughly 40 million years and dwarfing it in size.
Significance for paleontology
Lead author Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, a doctoral student at University College London (UCL), described the find as "the last titan" of Thailand. The fossils originate from the country's youngest dinosaur-bearing rock layer, formed before the region submerged beneath a shallow sea, likely ending the era of large sauropods in Southeast Asia.
"This may be the last or most recent large sauropod we will find in the region,"
Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, UCL
Sethapanichsakul, who has long dreamed of naming a dinosaur, called the study the fulfillment of a childhood promise.
Thailand's fossil wealth
With Nagatitan, Thailand now boasts 14 named dinosaur species. Dr. Sita Manitkoon, a paleontologist at Mahasarakham University, noted the country's rich fossil diversity, ranking it among Asia's top three for dinosaur remains.
Climate clues
The sauropod thrived during a period of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide and global temperatures. Co-author Prof. Paul Upchurch of UCL told National Geographic that the dinosaurs' ability to grow so large in hot conditions remains puzzling, as their massive bodies typically retain heat.
Upchurch suggested to Reuters that rising temperatures likely altered vegetation, which may have influenced the dietary needs of these enormous herbivores.
