One of world’s oldest dinosaur fossils revealed by heavy rains in Brazil

Heavy rains in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, have brought to the surface an incredible discovery that has been hidden for millions of years.

A team led by paleontologist Rodrigo Temp Müller from the Federal University of Santa Maria came across a nearly complete fossilized dinosaur skeleton.

Associated Press (AP) reported that the specimen is believed to be one of the world’s oldest dinosaurs, dating from 233 million years ago. The remains were recovered from near a reservoir in the Brazilian municipality of Sao Joao do Polesine of the state.

Müller told AP that the study team was “surprised” to discover the bones. However, the findings have not yet been peer-reviewed or published in a journal.

The creature lived during the Triassic period, which lasted from 252 million to 201 million years ago. It was the time when all continents were merged into a supercontinent known as Pangea.

Meat-eating dinosaur

In just four days, the team meticulously excavated the site, carefully extracting a block of rock containing the entire skeleton. This block was then transported to the lab for further analysis.

Based on the fossils, the dinosaur likely measured around 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) long.

“Initially it seemed like just a few isolated bones, but as we exposed the material, we were able to see that we had an almost complete skeleton,” Müller told AP.

The Brazillian researchers believe it belongs to the Herrerasauridae family, which includes early apex theropod carnivores that lived during the Triassic period.

Reportedly, the fossilized remains are remarkably well-preserved, and potentially be the second-most complete Herrerasauridae skeleton ever found.

Herrerasauridae is one of the earliest dinosaur families ever identified that dominated parts of what is now Brazil and Argentina. They were the top predators in their ecosystem and went extinct towards the end of this period.

This isn’t the first time Müller’s team has unearthed exciting dinosaur finds in this region. Back in 2019, they announced the discovery of another meat-eating dinosaur from the Triassic period.

The remarkably well-preserved remains were found near Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. Notably, this 2019 discovery, named Gnathovorax cabreirai , also belonged to the Herrerasauridae family and lived around the same time as the newly discovered specimen, roughly 233 million years ago.

The specimen could help bridge the evolutionary gap between these early Triassic predators and the later, well-known theropods like Tyrannosaurus Rex. G. cabreirai and the new specimen existed tens of millions of years before these giants.

Rain exposed fossils

The Triassic period played a crucial role in setting the stage for the dominance of dinosaurs in the Jurassic and beyond. It was a period of recovery following a massive extinction catastrophe, accompanied by the emergence of new and diversified living forms.

Over the next few months, the team will conduct an in-depth analysis to determine whether the fossil represents a completely new species or belongs to an already identified one.

As per AP , sometimes rain may help in exposing the fossil as it washes away layers of sediment that have buried these remains for millions of years. This process, known as weathering, helps bring fossils closer to the surface, making them more likely to be discovered. However, it can also damage or destroy them if they’re not recovered quickly.

During their excavation, the team discovered several bones, including a leg bone and a pelvic bone, that were already being eroded by the recent heavy rainfall.

Unfortunately, Rio Grande do Sul witnessed heavy flooding this year in May, with a reported death toll of at least 182.