Researchers have identified a new giant dinosaur species from remains found in Thailand, with bones first noticed by a local villager in Chaiyaphum province. The dinosaur has been named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis and is described as the largest-known dinosaur discovered in Southeast Asia.
The animal belonged to the sauropod lineage, the long-necked, long-tailed plant-eaters that include some of the biggest land animals ever to live. Scientists examined fossilised spine, rib, pelvis and limb bones, including a front leg bone measuring 1.78 metres long, before classifying it as a new species.
Reports describe the discovery as a major addition to Thailand’s fossil record. It is also said to be the 14th dinosaur to be named in the country, adding another piece to the region’s prehistoric story.
A giant from Thailand’s Cretaceous past
The fossils were found in northeastern Thailand and excavated over several years. One account says the bones came from the edge of a pond, while another says they were first spotted in Chaiyaphum province. The dinosaur lived during the Early Cretaceous period, roughly 100 to 120 million years ago.
Estimates based on the bones suggest Nagatitan weighed about 25 to 28 tonnes, or around 27 tonnes, and measured roughly 27 metres in length. That would make it much larger than Diplodocus. It is also described as the first sauropod dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation.
Why the find stands out
Lead author Thitiwoot Sethapanichsakul, a University College London doctoral student, referred to the dinosaur as the “last titan” because it was found in Thailand’s youngest dinosaur-bearing rock formation. The region later became a shallow sea, which meant younger rocks were unlikely to preserve more dinosaur remains.
The name combines Naga, a serpent from Southeast Asian folklore, with Chaiyaphum, the province where the bones were found. Researchers also note that the animal may be the largest and geologically youngest known from Southeast Asia, giving it particular importance in studies of the region’s sauropods.
Life in an ancient landscape
Researchers say Nagatitan likely lived in a warm environment with rivers, forests and open habitats. One account describes an arid to semi-arid setting with meandering river systems, while another refers to subtropical forests alongside savanna-like and shrubland areas. The dinosaur shared its world with crocodiles, fish, freshwater sharks and other dinosaurs.
Because its head and teeth were not recovered, its diet is inferred from other sauropods. Researchers say it was probably a bulk browser feeding on large amounts of vegetation with little chewing. Its size may also have helped protect it from predators.
The discovery adds to what is known about dinosaur diversity in Thailand and Southeast Asia, and it highlights a giant sauropod that lived near the end of the region’s dinosaur-rich history.
