Scientists Unearth Southeast Asia’s Largest Dinosaur in Thailand

Researchers have identified Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis as the largest dinosaur ever discovered in Southeast Asia, following the excavation of its fossils in Thailand’s Chaiyaphum province. This Cretaceous Period sauropod, which lived approximately 113 million years ago, measured nearly 90 feet (27 meters) in length and weighed between 25 and 28 tons. The discovery, led by University College London doctoral student Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul and published in Scientific Reports, provides crucial insights into sauropod diversity in a region where such fossils are rare. Nagatitan is noted as the geologically youngest and largest sauropod known from Southeast Asia. The herbivore likely browsed on conifers and seed ferns in a subtropical environment, remaining largely safe from predators like Carcharodontosaurus relatives due to its massive size. The species name references the Naga, a serpent-like figure in Asian religious traditions. This find highlights the unique paleontological history of the region before it became a shallow sea, marking Nagatitan as potentially the last giant sauropod in the area.