Palaeontologists in Australia discover world's largest dinosaur's fossil

Palaeontologists have unearthed world’s largest dinosaur fossil in North Eastern Australia. The fossil is approximately 105 million years. It belongs to species Savannasaurus elliottorum, a type of sauropod. According to researchers, these were the largest animals on earth. 

The fossil discovered is 14 meters long from head to tail. Like all other dinosaurs of sauropod family, it ate plants. Also, it had a very long neck. Another discovery is of sample of different sauropod called Diamantinasaurus matildae. Paleontologists have nicknamed the dinosaurs as Wade and Matilda. According to scientists, the two species lived in Australia exclusively but they moved in North Australia from South America.

“A new dinosaur like Wade, or Savannasaurus, will allow us to work out how these dinosaurs evolved through time, how they responded to climatic changes, and also how they responded to changes in the positions of the continents as well,” said study lead author Stephen Poropat.

However, paleontologists were able to discover only the one fourth part of the Savannasaurus elliottorum species fossil including the body parts belonging to its torso, limbs and the pelvis regions. The parts were covered with mud and sediments. Scientists had discovered the fossil in back in 2005, but another decade was taken just to separate the bones from mud.

Some believe that these species originated from North America nearly 105 million years ago. Also, continents were connected earlier, dinosaurs would have crossed these continents to reach Australia.  Later, Australia was separated from Africa and Antarctica and this species of dinosaurs became exclusive in Australia.