Scientists Uncover Mysterious 95-Million-Year-Old Plant-Eating Dinosaur That Could Rewrite Prehistoric History
Who knew that an oil discovery in 2017 would lead us to stumble upon the 95-million-year-old bones of a dinosaur that’s rewriting the Late Cretaceous rulebook? Meet Astigmasaura genuflexa — a hulking herbivore stretching nearly 60 feet long and tipping the scales at over 10 tons. Imagine, this giant sauropod from Argentina’s Patagonia rocked a unique posterior anatomy that puzzled scientists until those perfectly preserved hind limbs and tail fossils finally spilled their secrets. Isn’t it wild that the back half of a colossal dino was tucked away for millions of years, only to surface thanks to a meandering ancient river and some seriously patient paleontologists? Dive into this Jurassic jackpot and discover how chance and curiosity joined forces to introduce the world to a dinosaur unlike any other. LEARN MORE
After a chance oil discovery in 2017, excavations revealed the 95-million-year-old bones of a dinosaur dubbed Astigmasaura genuflexa.
Mattia Yuri Messina/CONICETAn artist’s reconstruction of Astigmasaura genuflexa.
Paleontologists in Argentina’s Patagonia region have discovered a previously unknown species of dinosaur that’s now been named Astigmasaura genuflexa.
It roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period, around 95 million years ago, and measured nearly 60 feet in length, weighing more than 10 tons. The prehistoric herbivore was a member of Rebbachisauridae, a large family of sauropods.
Researchers identified the dinosaur thanks to a fossilized postcranial skeleton. Notably, this also marks the first time a posterior part of a rebbachisaurid dinosaur has been discovered. Both hind limbs, the hip, and the anterior half of the tail were perfectly preserved, providing unique insight into the creature’s anatomy.
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