Fossils of iconic long-necked dinosaur Diplodocus found in Europe for first time — and it may have traveled there via land bridge
Fossils of the long-necked dinosaur Diplodocus have been discovered in Spain, marking the first time remains of this iconic Jurassic-period dino have been found outside the U.S.
Paleontologists have discovered the first Diplodocus fossils outside the western United States, in Spain, suggesting the iconic long-necked dinosaur may have traveled across a land bridge to Europe. The 14 well-preserved tail vertebrae and chevrons were found near El Castellar, eastern Spain, indicating the dinosaur lived in the region around 150 million years ago.
The discovery, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, shows Diplodocus roamed beyond North America, which was long believed. The sauropod, also known as Dippy, was around 25 meters (82 feet) long and had an extremely long neck and tail. The finding suggests temporary land bridges may have allowed dinosaurs to move between North America and Europe during the Late Jurassic period when the Atlantic Ocean was still in its early stages of opening.
Further discoveries of complete specimens will help clarify the distribution and evolutionary history of Diplodocus.
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