New Dinosaur Species Found in Brazil Reveals Ancient Land Bridge to Europe
The newly identified 'Dasosaurus tocantinensis' reached 20 metres in length and shares a direct lineage with specimens found in Spain
- A new giant dinosaur species, Dasosaurus tocantinensis, has been discovered in Brazil.
- The 20-meter-long herbivore is the closest known relative of Garumbatitan morellensis, a dinosaur species found in Spain.
- This close relationship provides evidence that a land bridge connected Europe and South America (likely via North Africa), allowing the dinosaur's lineage to migrate around 130 million years ago.
The newly identified 'Dasosaurus tocantinensis' reached 20 metres in length and shares a direct lineage with specimens found in Spain.
Brazilian palaeontologists have unveiled a new species of giant dinosaur, providing groundbreaking evidence that South America, Africa, and Europe were once interconnected by prehistoric land routes.
Named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, the herbivore roamed the Earth approximately 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period. Its remains were first unearthed in 2021 during infrastructure works in the northeastern state of Maranhão.
Key details of the discovery include:
Immense Scale: Researchers recovered a femur measuring 1.5 metres, leading to estimates that the creature stretched roughly 20 metres from head to tail.
The European Connection: Analysis published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology identifies the species as the closest known relative of Garumbatitan morellensis, a dinosaur discovered in Spain.
Ancient Migration: The findings suggest this lineage originated in Europe and migrated to South America roughly 130 million years ago—likely via Northern Africa—before the Atlantic Ocean had fully opened.
"As the excavation progressed, the sheer scale of the femur bone made it clear we were dealing with a giant," said Leonardo Kerber, a palaeontologist at the Federal University of Santa Maria. "Today, we know Dasosaurus is among the largest dinosaurs ever found in Brazil."
The species takes its name from the Tocantins River, a major waterway located near the fossil site, cementing the region’s importance in the study of prehistoric biodiversity.
