A newly identified dinosaur species discovered during construction work in northeastern Brazil is offering fresh clues about how giant dinosaurs spread across ancient continents.
The species, named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, is described in a study published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. The animal measured about 20 meters long and lived roughly 120 million years ago. Its fossils were found at the site of a road rail terminal under construction in Davinópolis, a city in the state of Maranhão.
One of the most striking aspects of the discovery is the dinosaur's evolutionary connection to Europe. Its closest known relative lived in what is now Spain, suggesting that these animals belonged to a broader lineage that once occupied regions that are now separated by the Atlantic Ocean.
Researchers propose that the ancestors of Dasosaurus tocantinensis reached South America by moving through North Africa sometime between 140 and 120 million years ago. At the time, these landmasses were still connected within the supercontinent Gondwana.
Maranhão's Largest Known Dinosaur
