PALEONEWS:Biggest Dinosaur Believed Dug up in Argentina

[Betty Cunningham <bettyc@flyinggoat.com>]

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Biggest Dinosaur Believed Dug up in Argentina

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - The bones of what may be the largest dinosaur
species yet discovered were found by a villager in a vulture-ridden
series of canyons in Argentina's southern Patagonia region, local
paleontologists said Tuesday. 

The beast is an herbivore that stormed the earth during the Cretaceous
period up to 105 million years ago. Estimates on its length hover
between 157 feet and 167 feet. 

"Two cervical vertebrae 3.94 feet high were found, in addition to a
femur 6.56 feet in height and some other indicative bones,"
paleontologist Carlos Munoz, director of the Florentino Ameghino museum
in southern Rio Negro province, told Reuters. 

The newly-discovered plant eater is thought to be 26 feet longer than
the 100-ton Argentinosaurus, which was unearthed close by and is the
largest dinosaur of any type ever laid bare. 

"We're ecstatic with this spectacular find. In Patagonia, walking among
the rocks is enough to discover fossils," said Munoz. 

The scrubby, desolate region has proved to be an extraordinary dinosaur
graveyard. Last April eager Argentine paleontologists uncovered the
imposing bones of a meat-eater thought to be grander than
Giganotosaurus, the biggest carnivore on record. 

Giganotosaurus, also discovered in Patagonia, had much the same build as
Tyrannosaurus rex and reigned over South America for millions of years. 

The new, behemoth vegetarian specimen comes from a dusty region riddled
with immense canyons called La Buitrera ("The Vulture Cage"). So far
unnamed and unclassified, the beast had a small head perched on a long
neck. It stands out on account of its lengthy tail. 

A team of paleontologists is beavering away at the La Buitrera discovery
site with the aim of carting off the cache of bones to the Florentino
Ameghino museum for scrutiny by the end of the month. 

"We are going to be working until Jan. 31 and then we will take
everything to the museum to remove the sediment, study it and later
mount a presentation," said Munoz. 

-- 
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