"Forelimb Bone Measures 1.8m"... Fossil of Giant Herbivorous Dinosaur Discovered in Thailand

Sauropod Discovered by UK-Thai Research Team
27 Meters Long, 27 Tons... Southeast Asia's Largest Dinosaur Fossil

A new species of sauropod dinosaur—an herbivore with a long neck—has been unearthed in northeastern Thailand. Estimated to be 27 meters in length and weighing 27 tons, it is believed to be the largest dinosaur ever discovered in Southeast Asia.

According to international media outlets such as ABC News on the 14th (local time), a joint research team from University College London (UCL), Mahasarakham University, Suranaree University of Technology, and Sirindhorn Museum in Thailand announced that fossils—including a 1.78-meter-long forelimb bone—discovered in Chaiyaphum Province, northeastern Thailand, have been identified as belonging to a new species of sauropod dinosaur. The dinosaur is estimated to have reached a length of 27 meters and a weight of 27 tons.

Illustration of the large titanosaur dinosaur 'Nagaatitan' discovered in Thailand. Photo by Yonhap News

The dinosaur has been named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis. 'Naga' refers to the mythical aquatic serpent found in Thai and Southeast Asian folklore, 'Titan' signifies a giant from Greek mythology, and the species name 'chaiyaphumensis' is derived from Chaiyaphum Province, where the fossils were discovered.

UCL researcher Titiut Setapanitsakun, the lead author of the paper and a doctoral candidate, explained, "Nagatitan is at least 10 tons heavier than the famous large sauropod Diplodocus, known as 'Dippy', but smaller than Patagotitan, which weighed around 60 tons." The fossils were first found in 2016 by local residents at the edge of a pond. In addition to the forelimb bone, dinosaur remains buried in the rock layers beside the pond include vertebrae, ribs, pelvic bones, and leg bones. Nagatitan is a sauropod dinosaur, like Diplodocus and Brontosaurus, and is estimated to have lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 100 to 120 million years ago.

Researcher Setapanitsakun stated, "Nagatitan was discovered in the youngest geological layer among those in Thailand where dinosaur fossils have been found." He added, "Since the area later turned into a shallow sea, making further dinosaur fossil discoveries unlikely, Nagatitan is called Thailand's 'last titan.'"

The research team noted that during the Early Cretaceous, the region was likely dry or semi-arid, providing an environment suitable for sauropods with long necks and tails to thrive, as their broad body surfaces helped dissipate heat and regulate body temperature. Additionally, since the fossil site was once inhabited by fish, freshwater sharks, and crocodiles, it is believed that Nagatitan shared its ecosystem with other herbivorous dinosaurs such as Iguanodon and early ceratopsians, as well as large carnivorous dinosaurs like Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus.

The study on Nagatitan has been published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.

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