Massive 122-million-year-old sauropod unearthed in Spain likely a key puzzle piece in dinosaur evolution

Scientists have recently unveiled the discovery of a new sauropod dinosaur dating back 122 million years, unearthed in Spain's Morella municipality. They believe this find could play a pivotal role in unraveling the complex puzzle of dinosaur evolution.

Named the Garumbatitan morellensis, meaning "giant of the Garumba," this herbivorous quadruped consumed a staggering 30 to 40 kilograms of food daily. Its colossal size was evident through its meter-long vertebrae, two-meter-long femur, and lengthy ribs, resulting in a towering height of ten meters. The sauropod featured an extraordinarily long neck and legs as sturdy as tree trunks. Surprisingly, it didn't use these limbs to traverse the mountainous terrain of the Early Cretaceous's Iberian Peninsula. Instead, it likely walked on its metacarpals, akin to tiptoeing, due to the absence of digits on its upper limbs. The inward-inclined femur suggested it had a wide stance while moving.

This gentle giant likely inhabited the estuarine region between mountains and navigated vast forests with sizable trees capable of sustaining the dietary needs of such colossal creatures with its swaying gait.

The discovery and characterization of this new dinosaur species were made possible by excavations at the Sant Antoni de la Vespa fossil site in Morella, revealing a veritable sauropod graveyard housing at least five distinct dinosaur species from the European Lower Cretaceous.

Beyond the sheer excitement of discovering a new sauropod species, this find provides insights into the intricate evolutionary history of these massive creatures. Understanding dinosaur evolution is crucial not only for creating blockbuster movies like Jurassic Park but also for comprehending the mechanisms of evolution, biogeography, plate tectonics, and various other scientific concepts.

The Garumbatitan belongs to the Somphospondyli, one of the most diverse and primitive sauropod groups, offering a valuable avenue to explore their phylogenetic distribution. Furthermore, these dinosaurs appear to have connections to lineages found in Asia, North America, and Africa, hinting at periods in their history when they traveled extensively.

For those interested in the complete study, detailed information can be found in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, accessible here.