A new species of dinosaur discovered in Australia. It has been confirmed as the largest ever found in the country; one of the biggest in the world. Moreover, The fossilized skeleton; nicknamed “Cooper;” was found in southwest Queensland in 2007; at Cooper Creek in the Eromanga Basin. Furthermore, Researchers at the Eromanga Natural History Museum (ENHM) and the Queensland Museum published their findings in the peer scientific journal on Monday.
Scientific name is Australotitan Cooperensis:
“Cooper,” whose scientific name is Australotitan cooperensis; was estimated to have walked the Earth over 90 million years ago. It was a titanosaur; a plant-eating species belonging to the family of long-necked sauropods. it is the largest of the dinosaur species. Furthermore, The dinosaur is estimated to have a height of 5 to 6.5 meters (16.4 to 21.3 feet) at the hip; It was a length of 25 to 30 meters (82 to 98.4 feet); making it as long as a basketball court and as tall as a two-story building, the ENHM said. With its long neck and tail, it may have resembled the more well-known Brachiosaurus. Robyn Mackenzie, the co-founder of the Eromanga Natural History Museum; said the team of paleontologists was able to quickly establish from the size of the bone fragments that they belonged to a large species.
Dinosaur Description:
Furthermore, “The pieces were quite big and chunky,” she said. “We were able to measure the bones and compare them with other species in Australia and the rest of the world.” Secondly, Several of the large pieces, including the dinosaur’s shoulder blades, pelvic bones, and limbs, were mostly intact. However, researchers faced delays in identifying the species due to challenges in managing its large and fragile bones. Robyn Mackenzie, co-founder of the Eromanga Natural History Museum; next to the fossilized dinosaur skeleton. Moreover, Robyn Mackenzie, co-founder of the Eromanga Natural History Museum; next to the fossilized dinosaur skeleton.
Scientists say new dinosaur species is largest found in Australia https://t.co/LrbjsORnjt
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) June 8, 2021
“These are the largest dinosaurs that ever walked on earth and based on the preserved limb size comparisons; this new titanosaur is estimated to be in the top five largest in the world.”
– Robyn Mackenzie, Eromanga Natural History Museum. https://t.co/lBBmLbCZHj
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 8, 2021
So the team used 3D technology to scan each bone of the titanosaur, which allowed them to digitally compare the bones to those of similar species. Furthermore, The study also points to an open book of further dinosaur discoveries that might be made in Australia. Moreover, “The findings have put Australia on the map,” and allowed Australia to join other countries making strides in paleontology; Mackenzie said. Lastly, “This is just the tip of the iceberg for discoveries in Australia,” she said. “It has opened up a whole new dinosaur frontier.”