Spanish fossils suggest Diplodocus dinosaur lived in Europe

Researchers identified fossilized remains of a Diplodocus, a large herbivorous dinosaur, in the La Tejería site in Spain.

The discovery includes 14 well-preserved vertebrae from the tail section and several V-shaped bones called chevrons. While the Diplodocus is an iconic dinosaur known for its long neck and whip-like tail, all previous confirmed fossils of the genus were found in the Morrison formation in the United States.

Scientists compared the Spanish fragments to known fossils and used phylogenetic analysis to confirm the find belongs to the Diplodocus genus. Some scientists remain cautious because the find only includes tail parts, which may not provide enough evidence to identify a specific species. The authors of the study published in September designated the find as Diplodocus sp. to reflect this uncertainty.

Despite these limitations, the presence of the dinosaur in Spain provides new evidence that these animals moved between Europe and North America during the Late Jurassic period. The researchers believe that approximately 150 million years ago, a narrower Atlantic Ocean allowed for temporary land bridges to form between the two continents. Other dinosaur remains, such as those of the Allosaurus and Stegosaurus, have also been found on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Spanish fossils are now kept at the Aragonese Paleontological Museum in Teruel.