In Jaisalmer fossils, scientists find a new dinosaur species, name it after Thar desert

Source: The post is based on the article “In Jaisalmer fossils, scientists find a new dinosaur species, name it after Thar desert”  published in TOI n 8th August 2023.

What is the News?

Scientists from IIT-Roorkee and Geological Survey of India(GSI) have discovered the oldest fossil remains of a dinosaur species in Jaisalmer.They have named it ‘Tharosaurus indicus’.

What is Tharosaurus indicus?

Tharosaurus indicus is the name given to the fossil remains of a long-necked, plant-eating dicraeosaurid dinosaur found in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

It has been named ‘Tharosaurus indicus’ as the first name refers to the ‘Thar desert’ where the fossils were found and the second after its country of origin.

Why is this finding significant?

First Time found in India: The dicraeosaurid dinosaurs have been found previously in North and South Americas, Africa and China. But such fossils were not known from India. This is the first time it has been discovered in India.

Oldest known diplodocoid dinosaur: The rocks in which the fossils of Tharosaurus indicus were found are dated to be around 167 million years old, which makes this new Indian sauropod not only the oldest known dicraeosaurid dinosaur but also globally the oldest diplodocoid (broader group which includes dicraeosaurids and other closely related sauropods). 

Note: Theories so far had suggested that the oldest dicraeosaurid was from China (about 166-164 million years old).