Paleontologists Discover New Long-Necked Dinosaur in Patagonia

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Palaeontology, Munich, 16.04.2026: A German-Argentine team of paleontologists led by SNSB dinosaur expert Oliver Rauhut has discovered a new long-necked dinosaur, Bicharracosaurus dionidei, from the Upper Jurassic period in Argentina, dating back approximately 155 million years. Long-necked dinosaur fossils from the Jurassic period in the Southern Hemisphere are rare, so the new fossil contributes to a better understanding of the evolution of these giant herbivores on the southern continents. The researchers have now published their findings in the journal PeerJ.

With their massive bodies, long necks and tails, and tiny heads, long-necked dinosaurs (sauropods) embody the image of a typical dinosaur for many people. Sauropods include the largest known land animals of all time, with body lengths of up to 40 meters; the best-known examples are Diplodocus and Brachiosaurus.

The new long-necked dinosaur from southern Argentina is not quite as large: the researchers estimate the length of Bicharracosaurus dionidei to be around 20 meters. Parts of its spine were recovered, including over 30 neck, back, and tail vertebrae, several ribs, and a fragment of the pelvic bone. The structure of the bones indicates that the remains belong to an adult animal that lived on the southern continent of Gondwana around 155 million years ago. The fossil is interesting to researchers in many ways: it combines a mix of characteristics from both brachiosaurids and diplodocids. For instance, some skeletal parts of Bicharracosaur

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