Source: TOI
Context: Scientists from IIT-Roorkee and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have discovered the fossil remains of a new dinosaur species in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, naming it ‘Tharosaurus indicus’.
- This long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur belongs to the dicraeosaurid group. The name “Tharosaurus indicus” is derived from the Thar desert, where the fossils were unearthed, and “indicus” denotes its origin in India.
Significance:
- First in India: The dicraeosaurid dinosaur had previously been found in the North and South Americas, Africa, and China. This is the first instance of such fossils being discovered in India.
- Oldest Diplodocoid Dinosaur: The fossils were found in rocks estimated to be around 167 million years old. This makes the Tharosaurus indicus not only the oldest known dicraeosaurid dinosaur but also the oldest diplodocoid dinosaur globally.
