New dinosaur species Bicharracosaurus dionidei discovered in Argentina

Scientists have identified a new dinosaur species approximately 155 million years old discovered in Patagonia, Argentina. The species named Bicharracosaurus dionidei is believed to have lived during the Late Jurassic period and provides key insights into sauropod evolution in the Southern Hemisphere.

The discovery, published in the journal PeerJ, has drawn global attention as Bicharracosaurus dionidei exhibits a combination of physical traits from two distinct giant groups. Its skeletal structure shows similarities to Brachiosauridae (such as Africa’s Giraffatitan) while also possessing vertebral characteristics resembling those of North America’s Diplodocidae.

Fossils found in the Cañadón Calcáreo Formation, Chubut Province, consist of over 30 vertebrae, ribs, and part of the pelvis. With an estimated length of 20 metres, this adult dinosaur provides new data on sauropod distribution when South America was part of the Gondwana supercontinent.

Lead researcher Alexandra Reutter explained that phylogenetic analysis places the species within the Brachiosauridae group. If confirmed, this fossil would be the first Jurassic-era Brachiosauridae specimen found in South America.

Unique Discovery Facts:

Previously, references on Southern Hemisphere sauropods from the Jurassic period were dominated by findings from Tanzania, Africa. The presence of Bicharracosaurus dionidei in Argentina fills a knowledge gap regarding how giant dinosaurs evolved and spread across the southern regions of the globe.

Although the skeletal remains are not fully complete, researchers believe the unique combination of characteristics in this species indicates a closer evolutionary relationship between Brachiosauridae and Diplodocidae than previously thought.