Scientists Unearth Fossils of Southeast Asia's Largest Dinosaur in Thailand

Researchers have identified Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, the largest known dinosaur from Southeast Asia, following the excavation of its fossils in Thailand's Chaiyaphum province. Estimated to have lived approximately 113 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period, this sauropod measured nearly 90 feet in length and weighed between 25 and 28 tons. The discovery, led by paleontologist Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul from University College London, reveals that Nagatitan was a bulk browser feeding on conifers and seed ferns in a subtropical environment. Due to its immense size, it faced little predation risk from contemporary carnivores, such as relatives of Carcharodontosaurus. The study, published in Scientific Reports, highlights that Nagatitan belonged to a subgroup of sauropods with air-filled bones, which thrived globally during a period of rising carbon dioxide levels and high global temperatures. This find provides crucial insights into sauropod diversity in Southeast Asia, marking Nagatitan as the region's last giant titan before the area transformed into a shallow sea. The dinosaur's name honors the Naga, a serpent-like figure in Asian religious traditions.