Farmers in Riodeva cleared stones from their almond
orchards for generations, never dreaming they were tossing aside dinosaur bones -- and laying a
trail for one of Spain's greatest fossil finds.
But when two paleontologists stumbled across
a field scattered with the fragments they knew they had
probably found a valuable cache and when
digging began in early 2003 it revealed a hoard beyond their wildest hopes.
The remains of the largest dinosaur found in Europe, including an
upper limb bone as big as a person -- 5 feet 9-1/2 inches -- were
nestling just below the surface in this
remote corner of the central Spanish region of Aragon.
"To find lots of bones is amazing. To find such a big animal is
extraordinary, and to find it in Europe is extra-terrestrial," said Alberto Cobos, the man
who recognized the potential of the site.
The huge reptile, which weighed an
estimated 40 to 50 tons, the same as six or seven elephants,
probably roamed the region up to 130 million years ago when it was a
tropical "dinosaur paradise," crisscrossed with rivers and streams.
Huge, perfectly preserved toe bone fossils and even a single
curved nail, larger than a human hand, were found with a rib and leg
and possibly pelvic bones.
The herbivore's bones were jumbled
with remains from other, smaller animals -- including teeth from
carnivores that may have feasted on its
flesh.
Up to 114 feet long, the dinosaur could represent a new species,
although the team uncovering it is wary of jumping to conclusions --
but its size alone is enough to put Riodeva firmly on the map.
The largest known dinosaurs have been found in Latin America and
the new Spanish dinosaur claims the record for Europe, Cobos
said.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-07-21 01:00