Dinosaur Fossils Found In Jaisalmer: Here's What We Know So Far About This Landmark Discovery By Indian Scientists

Scientists hailing from IIT-Roorkee and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have recently achieved a remarkable breakthrough in the region of Jaisalmer.

They have stumbled upon the most ancient fossil remnants of a dicraeosaurid dinosaur, a creature endowed with a lengthy neck and a penchant for plant-based meals.

This noteworthy revelation implies that India played a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of these majestic pre-historic creatures.

Their momentous discovery was unveiled within the pages of 'Scientific Reports,' an international journal closely associated with the prestigious Nature publication.

The age of these fossils is an astounding 167 million years, rendering them truly relics of a bygone era.

What elevates this discovery to even greater heights is the fact that this newfound species is a complete novelty to the scientific community, having never been encountered before.

The nomenclature assigned to this newfound treasure, 'Tharosaurus indicus,' is imbued with profound significance.

The former component pays homage to the Thar desert, the very birthplace of these fossils, while the latter aspect gracefully denotes its Indian origin.

This act of christening serves to honour not only the location of its unearthing, but also the nation's invaluable contribution to the realm of palaeontology.

However, until this juncture, the Indian subcontinent had remained untouched by such ancient relics.

In 2018, the GSI embarked upon a comprehensive programme aimed at systematically exploring and excavating fossils within the Jaisalmer region of Rajasthan.

This visionary endeavour has culminated in the recent revelation of dicraeosaurid dinosaur fossils.

Over a span of nearly five years, the dedicated scholarship of Professor Sunil Bajpai and his colleague Debajit Datta from the Department of earth sciences at IIT-Roorkee, has been instrumental in unravelling the story encapsulated within these ancient remnants.

These fossils were discovered embedded within rocks whose age is estimated to be approximately 167 million years.

This groundbreaking discovery not only signifies the oldest documented presence of a dicraeosaurid dinosaur within India, but also crowns it as the most ancient diplodocoid globally.

Previously held suppositions had suggested that the oldest dicraeosaurid hailed from China, with origins dating back approximately 166-164 million years.

In essence, this unveiling not only illuminates the past but reshapes the narrative of Earth's history, shining a spotlight on India's prominent role in the tale of pre-historic life.