Dinosaur Bigger Than T-Rex Found in Argentina Displayed in the American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History has publicly displayed the "Titanosaur," a dinosaur believed to be bigger than the Tyrannosaurus Rex. It is a new species that measure 122-foot long, but no formal name has been given by palaeontologists, CNN reports.
According to the news outlet, the "Titanosaur" was placed under the titanosaur group of herbivores with giant lizard-like appearance. It was discovered by a group of Argentinean palaeontologists in the Patagonian desert back in 2014.
The team was led by José Luis Carballido and Diego Pol of the Egidio Feruglio Palaeontology Museum. It took 18 months to excavate the remains of the huge dinosaur.
"Titanosaur fossils have been unearthed on every continent, and an abundance of discoveries in recent years has helped us appreciate the deep diversity of this group," AMNH Senior Vice President Michael Novacek said as quoted by CNN.
The publication noted that a total of 223 bones were retrieved from the site and palaeontologists have determined that the "Titanosaur" lived in the Patagonian forests in the Late Cretaceous period about 100 million years ago. Experts are not sure when this certain species of dinosaur became extinct, but it is believed to have happened in three different periods with a time span of a few years to centuries.
Their estimated weight is about 70 tons and have distinct features like a small head on a very long neck, whip-like tails and walks on four legs. It was also believed that the remains came from a young adult and not a full-grown "Titanosaur."
This newly discovered species is bigger than the Argentinosaurus that was believed to be the largest dinosaur in history, as reported by The Sun. It's so big that the display did not fit an entire 19-foot high room, leaving the neck and head sticking into the hallway.
"There was a moment when we didn't think part of it would fit in the garage. There was another moment when it was having trouble getting into an elevator. And remember, we have elevators that are big enough for elephants, so this is not a minor elevator," AMNH President Ellen Futter told ABC News.
The exhibit is open for viewing from Jan. 15, 2016 to Jan. 19, 2020, located at the fourth floor of the Wallach Orientation Center. Admission is free for members while non-members will have to pay at least $22, per The New York Times.
The model displayed in the museum is a full-size cast of the remains made out of lightweight fiberglass materials, stuffed with foam and joined by steel bars. The reason is that the actual bones are too heavy to assemble as a single femur of the "Titanosaur" is about 500 kilograms.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!