Palaeontologists in Thailand report the identification of a previously unknown dinosaur species based on fossils uncovered in Kalasin Province, northeastern Thailand.
The herbivorous creature, christened Uragasaurus kalasinensis, is believed to have roamed the Earth approximately 150 million years ago.
It possessed an exceptionally elongated neck and reached a total length of up to 20 metres (about 66 feet), roughly equivalent to the size of a cricket pitch.
Dr Apirat Nilphanaphan of Mahasarakham University, the study’s principal investigator, explained to BBC Thai that the remains are part of an extensive fossil assemblage discovered in 2008 when a local resident initially recovered fragments that resembled serpentine scales.
Excavations at the Phu Noi site revealed a diverse assemblage of Late Jurassic fossils, with over 90 % of the recovered material comprising dinosaur remains.
During subsequent surveys, the team identified additional dinosaur teeth and skeletal fragments within the same depositional context.
The pivotal specimen – a dorsal vertebra, representing a central or upper back bone – exhibited distinctive morphological traits that set it apart.
CT imaging confirmed that the animal belongs to the Mamenchisauridae family, a group of sauropods renowned for their extraordinarily long necks that probably enabled them to browse foliage at varying elevations.
Although the majority of Mamenchisauridae remains have been unearthed in China, this find marks the first recorded instance of the family within Thailand.
The scan further uncovered distinctive anatomical features, notably a Y‑shaped lattice of supportive bones referred to as laminae.
Niphanaphan remarked to BBC Thai that the air‑cavity architecture is unlike anything seen in any other dinosaur, representing a truly unique characteristic.
He confessed to destroying his keyboard upon realizing the significance of their find, describing the moment as both exhilarating and relieving.
The research has been published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature earlier this week.
Earlier this May, scientists announced the identification of another long‑necked herbivore, Nagatitan, based on fossils excavated in Thailand.
Nagatitan stands as the largest dinosaur ever recorded in Southeast Asia, weighing an estimated 27 tonnes — roughly the mass of nine adult Asian elephants — and extending to a length of 27 metres (about 88 feet).