Argentinian scientists have uncovered the fossilized skeleton of one of the oldest known dinosaurs, Huayracursor Jaguensis, high in the Andes Mountains, according to a statement released Wednesday by the CONICET research agency.
The discovery, made at an altitude of 3,000 meters (9,842 feet) in the country’s northwest, includes a remarkably well-preserved partial skull, a complete vertebral column extending to the tail, and nearly intact forelimbs and hindlimbs. The findings were published in Nature and are expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of early dinosaur evolution.
Estimated to have lived between 230 and 225 million years ago, Huayracursor roamed the Earth during the late Triassic period, a time when the first dinosaurs and early mammal ancestors were beginning to emerge.
Unlike its massive long-necked descendants, this early herbivore was small — measuring about two meters in length and weighing just 18 kilograms (around 40 pounds).
“This is a critical window into the early evolution of dinosaurs,” said paleontologist Agustin Martinelli, a co-author of the study. The specimen’s completeness and age make it one of the most significant dinosaur finds in recent years.
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