Scientists recently uncovered a rare dinosaur fossil hidden for decades in a drawer, originating from Antarctica. The bone, part of a titanosaur’s tail, comes from a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur. While the species remains unidentified, this fossil represents a significant paleontological find.
Discovered initially in 1985 during an expedition to James Ross Island in Antarctica, geologist Mike Thomson collected the fossil while mapping the rock layers and gathering marine reptile fossils as part of his work with the British Antarctic Survey. Thomson recorded it as a large reptile fossil.
Years later, paleontologist Mark Evans discovered the bone among the British Antarctic Survey’s collections and suspected it might be from a dinosaur. “It’s only when you start thinking ‘what’s in this drawer,’ that sometimes you come across something and you think ‘Ah, this looks interesting,'” Evans shared with BBC News.
Through analysis of the bone’s shape and comparison to other dinosaur remains, researchers confirmed it as part of a titanosaur. The findings were published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.
“This discovery represents only the second sauropod body fossil known from Antarctica, although it was the first dinosaur bone collected from the continent,” the study authors noted.
Antarctica’s ice caps make dinosaur fossils rare. However, millions of years ago, lush forests covered the continent when titanosaurs lived there, creating a much different and more hospitable environment than today’s icy landscape, said study co-author Paul Barrett from the Natural History Museum in London.
At around 23 feet long, the titanosaur was small for its species and possibly a juvenile. Researchers speculate the dinosaur’s body ended up on the sea floor after floating away from the coast, leading to fossilization in marine rock.
More than 100 titanosaur species have been identified globally as four-legged plant eaters with long necks for reaching tree branches and counter-balancing tails. Largest titanosaurs reached over 115 feet long and weighed about 60 tons.
Advancements in technology since the fossil’s discovery enable researchers to further analyze bones, providing deeper insights into ancient creatures. Sadly, Thomson passed away in 2020 before the fossil’s dinosaur identity was confirmed.
“If he were still with us, he would be delighted to know what this was,” Evans, a study co-author, remarked.
This image from the Natural History Museum depicts the fossil found in Antarctica belonging to the titanosaur group of dinosaurs.