Fossil of Southeast Asia’s largest dinosaur unearthed in Thailand

Chaiyaphum: Roughly 113 million years ago, a plant-eating behemoth nearly 90 feet long browsed the treetops along a meandering river in what is now Thailand, with little fear of predators thanks to its sheer size.

Researchers have identified the dinosaur as Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, now the largest-known dinosaur from Southeast Asia.

Skeletal remains of Nagatitan were unearthed in a warm and arid region of Thailand. The dinosaur belongs to the sauropod lineage — known for a long neck, long tail, small head, and four column-like legs.

At an estimated 27 meters long, Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis would have towered over Cretaceous landscapes, likely feeding on high vegetation while rivers snaked through an ancient floodplain.

The find adds a major new species to Southeast Asia’s fossil record and offers clues about sauropod diversity and distribution during the Early Cretaceous. Details of the discovery and analysis are expected in upcoming paleontology journals.