This dinosaur was only supposed to exist in North America — so why is it in Spain?
For millions of years, scientists have pieced together the movements of dinosaurs from fossils scattered across the planet. But every […]
The discovery of Diplodocus fossils in Spain has sparked curiosity among scientists, as these massive dinosaurs were once believed to have existed only in North America. Found at the La Tejería site in El Castellar, Teruel, the fossils include 14 well-preserved tail vertebrae and several chevrons, and date back to the Late Jurassic period, around 150 million years ago.
This era marked a period when the continents we know today were still in the process of shifting, and the Atlantic Ocean was taking shape. The presence of these fossils in Spain suggests that Diplodocus, a recognisable dinosaur with an extraordinarily long neck and tail, was able to inhabit Europe during this time. The fossils' existence supports the theory that Diplodocus could reach Europe by moving through temporary land connections, rather than making a modern-style transatlantic journey.
This discovery broadens our understanding of the dinosaur's range, adding another species to the collection of prehistoric creatures found in the Iberian Peninsula.
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