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SpeakBase Times·Science·
New 20-Meter Brazilian Dinosaur 'Dasosaurus' Shows How Sauropods Crossed Between Europe and South America
A new species of long-necked sauropod, named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, has been formally described from fossils unearthed in 2021 during road and rail construction near Davinópolis in Maranhão state, northeastern Brazil. Published on May 15 in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, the study by Elver L. Mayer and colleagues identifies the animal as a roughly 20-meter-long member of the Somphospondyli — and surprisingly, its closest known relative is the Spanish dinosaur Garumbatitan. The match implies that Early Cretaceous sauropods were still moving between continents long after the Atlantic had begun to widen.
By SpeakBase Times Editorial Team
Level 1 — Absolute Beginner
Ready
Reading PassageTap highlighted words for definitions
Scientists have found a new kind of dinosaur in Brazil. They named it Dasosaurus tocantinensis. It is a sauropod, which means a big dinosaur with a long neck.
Workers found the first bones in 2021. They were building a new road and rail terminal. The bones were near a town called Davinópolis.
The dinosaur was very big. It was about 20 meters long. That is almost as long as five cars in a row.
Its closest cousin lived in Spain, far away across the sea. This is a surprise. It shows that long-necked dinosaurs could once walk from Europe to South America.
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Key Vocabularydinosaur —a big animal that lived long, long ago
sauropod —a dinosaur with a long neck, long tail, and small head
fossil —the hard parts of a plant or animal kept in rock for millions of years
Brazil —a large country in South America
Spain —a country in southern Europe
neck —the part of the body between the head and the shoulders
long —of great length
cousin —a close relative
Exercises
Multiple Choice
1What is the new dinosaur's name?
2How long was it?
3Which country did it live in?
4When were the bones found?
5Which country has its closest cousin?
True or False
6A sauropod has a long neck.
7The dinosaur is small.
8Workers found the bones while building.
9Brazil is in Asia.
10Its closest cousin lived in Spain.
Fill in the Blank
11The new dinosaur is called ___ tocantinensis.
12It lived in northeast ___.
13It was about ___ meters long.