First diplodocus found outside North America discovered in Spain
The specimen, uncovered in Teruel, measured 25 meters and lived 150 million years ago
All known diplodocus ― a 25-meter-long dinosaur that lived about 150 million years ago ― come from the same North American deposit, the formation known as the Morrison Formation in the western United States. However, the recent discovery of one of these specimens at La Tejería (El Castellar, Teruel, Spain) “challenges our understanding of dinosaur distribution during the Late Jurassic,” write researchers from the Joint Paleontology Foundation Teruel-Dinópolis in the scientific journal Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. “The discovery of this sauropod represents one of the most complete diplodocid skeletons ever found in Europe,” they add.
Specifically, paleontologists from the Dinópolis Foundation unearthed 14 exceptionally well-preserved caudal vertebrae (from the tail), and several V-shaped bones (hemal arches or chevrons).
Sergio Sánchez Fenollosa, the paper’s author and a paleontologist specializing in evolutionary biodiversity at the University of Valencia, says the “discovery was exciting, seeing how the pieces of the puzzle gradually fit together.” He adds: “From the earliest stages of the osteological study, we observed strong similarities with several diplodocine sauropods. As we examined the anatomy more closely, we began to identify a combination of traits characteristic of diplodocus species. Then, as we ran different evolutionary analyses, they continued to point in the same direction. With each new result, the picture became clearer: we were looking at a diplodocus.”
The paleontologist adds: “The result of the excavation constitutes one of the strongest paleontological proofs of dispersal events and faunal exchange between the two continents across the proto-Atlantic during the Late Jurassic. This finding allows us to better understand the Iberian Mesozoic ecosystems [250 to 66 million years ago] and the diversity of sauropod dinosaurs that inhabited Jurassic Europe.”
The Teruel diplodocus lived 150 million years ago, toward the end of the Jurassic period. Its presence in Europe provides compelling evidence that dinosaurs could migrate between North America and Europe, likely crossing temporary land bridges that emerged when the proto-North Atlantic experienced episodes of sea regression.
Diplodocus is one of the world’s most recognizable dinosaurs, famed for its enormous length, long whip-like tail and relatively small head. Since its discovery in the United States in 1878 and throughout the early 20th century, replicas of diplodocus skeletons have been displayed in major natural history museums worldwide, making it a symbol of global paleontology and a beloved icon of prehistoric life. Its presence in exhibitions and audiovisual productions about dinosaurs has helped make it one of the best-known “terrible lizards” among the general public.
Giant sauropods
Alberto Cobos, chief executive of the Dinópolis Foundation, says the El Castellar specimen resembled its North American relatives (Diplodocus hallorum), making it another of the giant Jurassic sauropods of Spain, alongside other Teruel sauropods with very different characteristics from diplodocids, such as Turiasaurus and Losillasaurus, among others.
The discovery also provides new information about the great diversity of dinosaurs in the eastern Iberian Peninsula. The area where the specimen was found has yielded numerous dinosaur fossils — including sauropods, theropods, stegosaurs, and ornithopods — suggesting these ancient coastal environments supported complex, diverse ecosystems.
The unearthed fossils are on display in the dinosaur gallery of the Aragonese Museum of Paleontology at Dinópolis (Teruel).
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