The deepest dinosaur fossil on record was buried 2,615 meters (8,579 feet) below sea level in an offshore oil field near the Norwegian mainland. The bone forms part of the knucklebone of a Plateosaurus engelhardti, a large herbivorous dinosaur living in the Late Triassic period, approximately 210 million years ago.
Not only does it make it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the deepest dinosaur fossil ever discovered, but it was also the very first dinosaur bone found in Norwegian territory.
Deepest Dinosaur Fossil
The bone remained hidden, tucked 2,256 meters (7,402 feet) below the seabed for millions of years, until it was struck — purely by chance — by a drill hunting for oil in the Snorre Field in the Norwegian North Sea. The fossil was recovered in February 1997 but not formally discussed until 2006 when it appeared in a paper published in the Norwegian Journal of Geology.
The fossil is small — just 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) in diameter — but it has been well-preserved and is colored white and light grey.
Paleontologists identified the species by analyzing the tissues contained within the fossil and by considering its size and appearance. The evidence points to a Prosauropod and specifically a Plateosaurus, meaning “flat” or “broad lizard.”
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What Do We Know about the Plateosaurus?
The Plateosaurus was a relatively large, herbivorous dinosaur that could reach lengths of six to ten meters (20 to 33 feet). It stood on two legs and was able to reach vegetation up to four meters (13 feet) above ground level. In adulthood, the dinosaur weighed up to 4 tonnes (4.4 tons) — making it heavier than two Mini Coopers.
The Plateosaur was a member of the prosauropod family — the most common group of dinosaurs in the Norian (or Late Triassic). The name “prosauropod” means “before the sauropods,” referring to a group of large, four-legged herbivores that includes the likes of the brachiosaurus and diplodocus and are well-known for their long necks.
The remains of prosauropods are among the world’s oldest dinosaur fossils. They are thought to have been large, grazing creatures that travelled in herds and presided, mostly, in what is now Europe. The majority of Plateosaurus remains, for example, have been uncovered in France, Germany, and Switzerland.
The P. engelhardti would have lived alongside primitive mammals, crocodilomorphs, and other early reptiles and amphibians in a semi-arid landscape dotted with small trees and bushes perfect for grazing. At the time, the area would have been highly seasonal, with periods of rainfall followed by long, dry periods that persisted for four to eight months.
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