In the desert of northern Mexico, archaeologists have reported finding the remains of a huge tail fossil that is 72 million years old.
According to Francisco Aguilar, head of the country’s National Institute for Anthropology and History, the “exceptionally well-preserved” five-yard-long tail was the first ever found in Mexico.
The INAH and the National Autonomous University of Mexico archaeologists and students identified the fossil as belonging to a hadrosaur, also known as a duck-billed dinosaur.
Relic: The researchers discovered a dinosaur tail in the Mexican state of Coahuila.
The “very well-preserved” five-yard-long tail was Mexico’s first-ever food. It dates back 72 million years.
According to Agilar, the tail that General Cepeda had on him when he lived in the border state of Coahuila possibly made up half the dinosaur’s length.
After spending 20 days in the desert painstakingly lifting a sedimentary boulder covering the creature’s bones, archaeologists discovered that the 50 vertebrae of the tail were completely intact.
Other fossilized bones, including one of the dinosaur’s hips, were scattered around the tail, according to INAH.
Exact phrase: Archaeologists carefully unearth the tail.
Invocation for the dead: Experts will be able to learn about the bodily conditions that impacted the enormous monsters thanks to the tail of a hadrosaur.
Although Mexico has a long history in paleontology, this is the country’s first dinosaur tail fossil.
Other fossilized bones, including one of the dinosaur’s hips, were scattered around the tail.
According to INAH, dinosaur tail fossils are rather uncommon.
The new discovery could further our understanding of the hadrosaur family and aid in the study of illnesses that afflicted dinosaur animals and were similar to those that affect humans, according to Aguilar.
For instance, scientists have already determined that dinosaurs suffered from arthritis and tremors.
In several areas of the state of Coahuila, as well as in Mexico’s other “other” desert states, deities have been used as food.
Paleontology in our country has a very long history, Agilar remarked.
He asserted that the majority of what is now central and northern Mexico was on the coast during the Cretaceous period, which ended around 65 million years ago.
Researchers have been able to find remnants of both land- and marine-based dinosaurs because of this.
The preseпce of the remaiпs was reported to INAH by locals iп Jυпe 2012. Early this month, excavation began after the first inspections. The remaining tail will be given to General Cepeda for analysis and further investigation.