Nearly complete fossil in Argentina is one of the world’s oldest dinosaurs: ScienceAlert

Argentine scientists have discovered fossilized bones of one of the oldest species of dinosaurs in the world in the Andes, the CONICET research agency announced on Wednesday.

A paleontological team led by the institute has discovered the almost complete skeleton of the small, long-necked reptile, named Huayracursor jaguensisat an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) in northwestern Argentina.

The team found part of the dinosaur’s skull, a complete spine extending to the tail, and almost intact front and hind limbs, CONICET said.

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The discovery was published in Nature magazine, with the authors saying it could inform studies of evolution.

Agustin Martinelli, one of the authors, said the Huayracursor would have roamed the Earth between 230 and 225 million years ago, making it one of the world’s oldest dinosaurs.

The species lived during the late Triassic period, when the first dinosaurs and mammal ancestors began to appear, the researchers said.

Although the discovered species is part of a lineage of herbivorous dinosaurs that includes long-necked giants, the researchers noted that an adult Huayracursor jaguensis was only about two meters long and weighed about 18 kilograms (40 pounds).

© Agence France-Presse