For the first time in Europe, a complete Diplodocus fossil has been discovered at the La Tejería site in Teruel, eastern Spain. 14 tail vertebrae and numerous well-preserved bones belonging to the dinosaur, which had previously been found only in the Morrison Formation in the western United States, were excavated. The 150-million-year-old specimen, measuring approximately 25 meters long, provides strong evidence of migration between North America and Europe during the Late Jurassic Period via temporary land bridges that formed across the proto-North Atlantic Ocean.
Large air-filled cavities, distinctive grooves and Y-shaped structures were identified in the bones. The study, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, classified the fossil as a close relative of Diplodocus hallorum. Fossils of Turiasaurus and Losillasauru have also been found in Teruel. Researchers said the discovery contributes to understanding sauropod diversity in Europe. The fossil is on display at the Aragon Museum of Paleontology in Dinópolis.
Why it matters
By extending the known geographical range of Diplodocus beyond the Morrison Formation, the finding makes it possible to assess the connection between Europe and North America during the Late Jurassic using fossil evidence. The combined examination of the tail vertebrae and the cavities, grooves and Y-shaped structures in the bones allows the specimen’s place among sauropods to be determined according to anatomical criteria. The discovery of Turiasaurus and other sauropod fossils in Teruel has also made the region a key site for comparing sauropod diversity in Europe. However, the specimen’s classification as a close relative of Diplodocus hallorum rather than Diplodocus hallorum itself leaves open questions about the precise identity of the European lineage and the details of migration between the continents.
Background
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