Oldest Dinosaur Fossil in India Reveals Significant Evolutionary Centre

• 10 Aug 2023

Recently, in a ground-breaking discovery, scientists from IIT-Roorkee and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have unearthed the remains of the oldest dicraeosaurid dinosaur, Tharosaurus indicus, in the Thar desert of Jaisalmer.

Key Points:

• Unearthing Ancient History: Researchers from IIT-Roorkee and GSI have uncovered the remains of a long-necked, plant-eating dicraeosaurid dinosaur, named Tharosaurus indicus, in the Thar desert.
• An Ancient Resident: The newly identified species, Tharosaurus indicus, dates back approximately 167 million years.
• Name: Its name pays homage to the Thar desert, where its fossils were found.
• Features: The dinosaur is characterized by distinct features, including specialized vertebrae with deep depressions and split neural spines resembling spikes.
• Evolutionary Significance: Tharosaurus indicus marks the first documented report of a dicraeosaurid sauropod from India.
• This discovery prompts a reevaluation of dinosaur migration patterns, suggesting India as a potential origin for diplodocoid dinosaurs.
• A Prehistoric Hub: The discovery of Tharosaurus indicus is not isolated; it aligns with the identification of ancestral sauropods, such as Barapasaurus and Kotasaurus, from earlier periods in central India.
• This suggests that the Indian subcontinent could have served as a center for the origin of diplodocoid dinosaurs.
• Geological Context: The ancient geographic arrangement of continents plays a crucial role in understanding the migration of these dinosaurs.
• The connections between India, Madagascar, Africa, and South America during the Middle Jurassic era potentially facilitated the movement of diplodocoid sauropods across continents.