The discovered remains include femur, numerous parts of the vertebrae
Arackar Licanantay is estimated to have weighed at least 3,000 kg
A new species of a plant-eating dinosaur has been discovered in the world s driest desert in Chile. The Arackar Licanantay belongs to the gigantic titanosaur dinosaur family tree, according to an infographic shared by news agency AFP on Twitter. The term Arackar Licanantay means “Atacama bones” in the Kunza language. Though the Atacama Desert is the driest in the world, recent studies suggest that Arackar lived in what would have been a lush landscape of flowering plants and palm trees during the Cretaceous period 66-80 million years ago. Today, Atacama is rocky and barren, having gone without rain for nearly 100 years.
Chilean Scientists Announce Discovery of New Species of Dinosaur
Chilean Scientists Announce Discovery of New Species of Dinosaur
Lead Photo: Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla
Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla
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In the 1990s, scientists in Chile unearthed the fossils belonging to a new species of dinosaur, and on Monday (April 19), the Chilean Culture Ministry finally made the announcement public. This is only the third “non-avian” dinosaur ever found in the South American country.
Graphic on the Arackar Licanantay, a new species of dinosaur discovered in Chile s Atacama desert #AFPgraphicspic.twitter.com/roQuYtYOcO
“This represents a relevant milestone for the Chilean paleontological heritage,” says David Rubilar, head of the paleontology area at Chile’s Museum of Natural History. “The group of titanosaurs is very broad and diverse, with repeated finds in what is today Argentina and Brazil. However, it’s much rarer to find them on this side of the [A
It’s hard to image that a plant-eating dinosaur once lived and thrived in the world’s driest desert but that’s exactly what happened many millions of years ago. Scientists discovered a new species of dinosaur that lived in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
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Arackar licanantay (meaning “Atacama bones” in the Kunza language) was found by a team of experts that was led by Chilean geologist Carlos Arévalo. The remains – which included portions of a humerus, femur, and ischium, as well as vertebral elements from its back and neck – were unearthed 75 kilometers south of Copiapó.
While it was found in the 1990s, researchers have spent the last several years analyzing the remains. Referred to as a so-called titanosaur (a specific group of sauropods), this never-before-seen species had a small head, long neck, an oddly flat back, and a long tail.
Remains of Giant, Plant-Eating Dinosaur Discovered in Chile latinpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from latinpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
By: ONA
Santiago: Scientists have identified a new species of dinosaur from parts of a skeleton found in northern Chile.
The creature s remains were unearthed in the Atacama desert - the world s driest - near the city of Copiapó.
Experts say the plant-eating titanosaur had a small head and long neck, and an unusually flat back.
Studies suggest the creature lived in what would then have been a lush landscape of flowering plants, ferns and palm trees.
A team led by Chilean geologist Carlos Arévalo unearthed the remains in the 1990s and carried out research in the 2000s. The findings, published in the journal Cretaceous Research, were made public.