A 95-million-year-old titanosaur has been discovered in Queensland, Australia, which is a rare discovery. Titanosaurs belong to the giant sauropod family, known to be the largest land animals to have ever existed. This finding in Australia sheds light on the species Diamantosaurus matildae (D. matildae). The study, published April 12 in the Royal Society Open Science journal, describes the 19.6-inch-long skull and highlights its significance for understanding the dinosaur’s feeding habits, physical characteristics and relationships with other sauropods.
The dinosaur skull was discovered in 2018 at the Age of Dinosaurs Museum near Winston in central Queensland. Diamantinasaurus lived in Australia 100 million years ago and belonged to the titanosaur group, which refers to the largest land animals in Earth’s history. It was a medium-sized sauropod, measuring about 131 feet in length and weighing over 170,000 pounds.
Its skull provides valuable insights into dinosaur anatomy and behavior. Scientists have found an uncanny resemblance to the skull of another titanosaur, Sarmientosaurus musakioi, which existed in South America at the same time as Queensland’s Diamantosaurus. These similarities include the shape of the braincase, bones near the jaw joint, and teeth. This finding supports the previous theory.
Warm conditions in Antarctica attracted sauropods during the mid-Cretaceous period. At that time Antarctica served as an attractive habitat for wandering animals. These sauropods thrived and migrated throughout the region.
Significant progress has been made in paleontological research. This rare discovery sheds light on the dinosaur’s feeding behavior, its relationships with other sauropods, and its physical characteristics.