In Thailand’s Kalasin Province, palaeontologists have identified a new dinosaur species, Uragasaurus kalasinensis, from Late‑Jurassic fossils.
The herbivorous sauropod measured up to 20 metres (66 feet), comparable to a cricket pitch, and featured an unusually long neck.
The discovery stems from the Phu Noi site, first noted in 2008 after serpent‑scale fragments were found. A recovered dorsal vertebra provided the key differentiating features.
CT scans confirmed the specimen as a member of the Mamenchisauridae family, known for long necks that allowed browsing at varied heights, marking the first such find in Thailand.
Unique characteristics include a Y‑shaped lamina arrangement and a distinctive air‑cavity structure, setting it apart from all previously known relatives.
Lead author Dr Apirat Nilphanaphan expressed exhilaration—he even smashed his keyboard—when realizing they had uncovered a new species.
The study was published in Nature earlier this week, following the recent identification of other Thai long‑necked dinosaurs such as the Nagatitan.
