In brief
Scientists in Thailand have announced a new, 20‑metre‑long dinosaur species, Uragasaurus kalasinensis, uncovered from fossils in Kalasin Province. The plant‑eating beast lived roughly 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic and had a neck that rivaled the length of a cricket pitch. The find, based on a distinctive dorsal vertebra and CT scans, places it in the rare Mamenchisauridae family, previously known only from China. This marks the first Mamenchisaurid discovery in Thailand, offering fresh insight into dinosaur dispersal across Asia. The study was published in Nature this week.
Scientists in Thailand have uncovered a new species of dinosaur, called Uragasaurus kalasinensis, from fossils in Kalasin Province.
The plant‑eating dinosaur lived about 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic and grew to a staggering 20 metres (66 ft) long—roughly the length of a cricket pitch.
In 2008, a local resident discovered bone fragments that later turned out to be dinosaur remains at the Phu Noi site. Since then, over 90 % of the fossils excavated there are dinosaur fragments.
A recovered dorsal vertebra, examined through CT imaging, showed unique laminae and an air‑cavity structure that placed the animal in the Mamenchisauridae family, a group famed for exceptionally long necks.
Until now, all known Mamenchisaurids had been found in China. This discovery marks the first record of the family in Thailand, providing new clues about dinosaur migration across Southeast Asia.
Lead author Dr. Apirat Nilphanaphan said he smashed his keyboard in excitement after confirming the species, expressing both exhilaration and relief. The full study appeared in this week’s issue of the journal Nature.
