In brief
A team of palaeontologists in Thailand has identified a new Late‑Jurassic dinosaur species, Uragasaurus kalasinensis, from fossils unearthed in Kalasin Province. The herbivorous sauropod measured up to 20 metres (66 feet), with a neck long enough to span a cricket pitch. The find relies on a distinctive dorsal vertebra whose CT scan marked it as a member of the Mamenchisauridae family, renowned for elongated necks, and featured a rare Y‑shaped lamina arrangement and air‑cavity structure. This marks the first record of such a dinosaur in Thailand, where most Mamenchisauridae fossils have been found in China. The study, published in Nature, follows other recent discoveries of long‑necked dinosaurs in the region.
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.
