Fossil of huge plant-eating dinosaur found in Spain

Handout shows an artists rendering of a giant Sauropod, remains of which have been found in Tereut, Spain. Massive fossilised bones uncovered in Spain show that Europe could rival the Americas and Africa as home to ground-shaking monster dinosaurs, scientists report. PHOTO: AFP

Turiasaurus riodevensis, named for the region and village in Spain where it was found, lived about 145 million years ago and was a sauropod, that familiar kind of dinosaur with a long neck, long tail and massive body that walked on four stout legs.

It is the largest dinosaur ever found in Europe. Previous dinosaurs of this scale have been found mostly in the Americas and Africa.

Other well-known sauropods include Apatosaurus (formerly known as Brontosaurus), Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus. This one is emblematic of a previously unrecognized branch of European sauropod evolution, the scientists said. Sauropods are the largest land animals in Earth's history.