Monday, October 15, 2007

Titanosaur Dukie!

Well, not exactly. It's named for Duke Energy Argentina, which sponsored the field work. But still, it's a dino named Dukie!

Published: October 15, 2007

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- The skeleton of what is believed to be a new dinosaur species -- a 105-foot plant-eater that is among the largest dinosaurs ever found -- has been uncovered in Argentina, scientists said Monday.

Scientists from Argentina and Brazil said the Patagonian dinosaur appears to represent a previously unknown species of Titanosaur because of the unique structure of its neck. They named it Futalognkosaurus dukei after the Mapuche Indian words for ''giant'' and ''chief,'' and for Duke Energy Argentina, which helped fund the skeleton's excavation.

''This is one of the biggest in the world and one of the most complete of these giants that exist,'' said Jorge Calvo, director of paleontology center of National University of Comahue, Argentina, lead author of a study on the dinosaur published in the peer-reviewed Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences.