Heavy Rains Uncover Ancient Dinosaur Skeleton in Brazil: One of the Oldest Ever Found

Heavy rains in southern Brazil have uncovered one of the oldest dinosaur skeletons ever discovered, researchers report. The fossils, found near a reservoir in São João do Polêsine in May, belong to a Herrerasaurid, a group of Triassic predators, and are estimated to be around 233 million years old. This discovery could significantly contribute to understanding the early dinosaur family tree.

Paleontologists are still debating the age of the earliest dinosaurs. While the oldest undisputed fossils are about 231 million years old, there are also older, but disputed, fossils of Nyasasaurus from around 240 million years ago.

The newly discovered skeleton is almost completely preserved, which could help scientists understand the origins of dinosaurs. Rodrigo Temp Müller, a paleontologist from the Federal University of Santa Maria, highlighted the importance of this find in shedding light on early predatory dinosaurs. The specimen was approximately 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) long, but some members of this group could grow up to 16.5 to 19.5 feet (5 to 6 meters).

The fossils were uncovered due to natural erosion accelerated by record rainfall in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, which also caused severe flooding earlier this year. The researchers are now working quickly to recover and preserve the exposed fossils before they are lost or damaged.