26-feet-long Meat-Eating Dinosaur Which Lived 145 Million Years Ago Unearthed in Thailand

Recently, the scientists claimed that a giant and predatory crocodile-like animal known as "rauisuchians" existed on Earth around 210 million years ago. Rauisuchians preyed on dinosaurs. And now, scientists have found the skeleton of a new species of predatory dinosaur that was four times bigger than a velociraptor. 

According to the findings that were published in the scientific journal PLOS One, the skeleton of predatory dinosaur was unearthed in Thailand. The 26-feet-long dinosaur walked on Earth around 145 million years ago. 

The findings suggested that the 26-feet-long dinosaur is an early member of a widespread group of dinosaurs called Carcharodontosaurids. It is worth mentioning here that Carcharodontosaurids included some of the largest land predators ever known: Giganotosaurus, Mapusaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Tyrannotitan. 

The remains of the predatory dinosaur included skull, backbone and hip fossils that came from belonged to four individuals of the new species. The team of scientists have named the new species Siamraptor suwati, in honour of both Thailand and Suwat Liptapanlop, a benefactor of the research. The researchers believe that the dinosaur skeleton is dated back to the Early Cretaceous period, which lasted from 146–100 million years ago. 

Also Read: Dinosaurs skeleton discovered in 113-million-year-old rocks of Australia

Comparison to fossils of known dinosaurs allowed the researchers to identify the remains as belonging to a previously-unknown species of carcharodontosaurian. The researchers further believe that the dinosaur evolved and diverged from the other members of the carcharodontosaur group early in their history. 

Interestingly, the Siamraptor suwati is also the first definitive archarodontosaurian fossil found in Southeast Asia, with earlier remains being unearthed in Europe and Africa.

RELATED