A group of archaeologists has made an extraordinary discovery in a desert in northern Mexico – the preserved fossil remains of a dinosaur tail that is estimated to be 72 million years old.
The tail, which measures over a meter in length and is remarkably well-preserved, represents the first such finding in Mexico. Francisco Aguilar, the director of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), confirmed this significant milestone.
The team responsible for the discovery is composed of archaeologists and students from both INAH and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Through careful examination, they have identified the fossil as belonging to a dinosaur with a feathered tail.
The tail was found near the small town of General Cepeda in Coahuila state. It is believed to have measured approximately half the length of the dinosaur itself. After an extensive excavation process that spanned 20 days, archaeologists successfully uncovered all 50 vertebrae of the tail, which were found to be remarkably intact beneath layers of sedimentary rock that had encased the carnivorous dinosaur’s skeleton.
Further analysis conducted by experts, including examination of one of the dinosaur’s teeth, has shed additional light on the fossils.
This discovery not only represents the first dinosaur tail found in Mexico but also offers hope for further exploration and experimentation. The hadrosaur tail will provide valuable insights into the ancient conditions that impacted the colossal forests of the time.
The fossils, including the tail, bones, and teeth, will be transferred to General Cepeda for cleaning and future investigation. Scientists have already made significant discoveries regarding dinosaur health, such as the presence of tumors and arthritis.
The remains of the hadrosaur were initially discovered by locals in June 2012. Following preliminary inspections, excavation work began earlier this month. An artist’s depiction, provided by the National Geographic Society, offers a glimpse into the appearance of the hadrosaur, a species that, unlike most dinosaurs, thrived during the Cretaceous period.
This extraordinary find not only adds to Mexico’s rich paleontological heritage but also provides an opportunity for further research and a deeper understanding of the life and conditions of dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.
