Thailand’s Nagatitan Written Into Science Books
Why It Matters
Nagatitan expands understanding of giant sauropod diversity and biogeography in Asia, informing models of Cretaceous ecosystem connectivity and dinosaur evolution; it also underscores the research and outreach potential of regional fossil finds.
Summary
A decade after a villager found bone-like stones near a pond in northeastern Thailand, scientists have formally described a new giant sauropod named Nagatitan shapensis in a May 14, 2026 paper. The fossil assemblage—parts of the spine, ribs, pelvis and limbs including a 178 cm humerus—indicates a 27-meter, 25–28 ton long-necked herbivore, the largest dinosaur yet identified in Southeast Asia. The remains come from Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation deposits about 113 million years old and add to Thailand’s growing record of sauropod discoveries. Researchers say the specimen sheds light on sauropod evolution in Asia and highlights the scientific value of local, chance discoveries.
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