Dasosaurus tocantinensis discovered in Maranhão, Brazil

A new species of dinosaur, named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, has been discovered during construction work for a road-rail terminal in Davinópolis, Maranhão. The herbivorous sauropod lived approximately 120 million years ago and measured about 20 meters in length, making it the largest dinosaur species identified in the state of Maranhão to date.

The fossils, which include tail vertebrae, ribs, limb bones, and a 1.5-meter femur, were found at a depth of eight meters. Initially mistaken for prehistoric mammal remains, the fossils were later identified as dinosaur bones through microscopic analysis and evolutionary studies published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.

Researchers noted a significant evolutionary link between this species and Garumbatitan morellensis, a relative found in Spain. This connection suggests that the lineage may have migrated from North Africa to South America via the supercontinent Gondwana between 140 and 120 million years ago, providing new insights into how dinosaur species dispersed across ancient continents.