Researchers announced in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology that they have found the first skeletal evidence of the Diplodocus dinosaur outside North America in eastern Spain. This finding includes vertebrae and claw bones that date back to about 150 million years ago.
New Evidence of Diplodocus
Diplodocus, one of the most well-known long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs, had only been found in North America until now. The article published on Monday describes this discovery as "one of the most complete skeletons of Diplodocus dinosaurs in Europe." A systematic study of 14 tail vertebrae and several claw bones indicates that it can be confidently attributed to Diplodocus, which is one of several genera in the Diplodocus dinosaur family.
Read more: Zelensky opposed Trump's claim about the Ukraine-Russia agreement on halting attacks
Wildlife Exchange Between Continents
The authors of this article emphasized that this discovery is "the first evidence of Diplodocus outside North America (Morrison Formation) and one of the strongest pieces of evidence supporting wildlife exchange between North America and Europe during the Late Jurassic period." Although Diplodocus is globally famous, especially due to the famous skeleton known as "Dippy" that welcomed visitors at the Natural History Museum in London for years, researchers stated that "the fossil record of Diplodocus dinosaurs in Europe is rare and minimal."
During the time of the dinosaurs, continents were separating. In recent decades, scientists have theorized that the early Atlantic Ocean still had temporary land bridges or marine regressions that allowed terrestrial dinosaurs to traverse long distances between the separating continents. Recent discoveries, especially in Spain and Portugal near the Atlantic Ocean coasts, have reinforced this theory. This hypothetical land bridge connects Iberia to parts of Canada.
The authors of this discovery say: "This finding is one of the strongest pieces of evidence indicating temporary dispersal events and wildlife exchange across the early North Atlantic Ocean during the early Kimmeridgian-Tithonian period, approximately 150 million years ago." Additionally, there was another route connecting North America to Scandinavia and another much further south, linking Brazil to Cameroon.
Read more: NATO jets shot down a drone in the skies over Lithuania · Paleontological secrets: from the discovery of a dwarf elephant to an extinct antelope
