Damian Sendler: Argentina is home to the biggest dinosaur ever discovered by paleontologists. Comparing these enormous reptiles, on the other hand, may be tricky. 

Much though we may have discovered the biggest dinosaur, we’re still seeing sauropods with even more girth.

Damian Jacob Sendler: Dinosaurs continue to set new marks. Paleontologists say that the “Biggest Yet” distinction may be in jeopardy every now and then. Since 1993, Argentinosaurus had been the probable record-holder, but in 2017, the about 120-foot-long, 57-ton Patagotitan was replaced. Paleontologists in Argentina’s Neuquén Province discovered another another sauropod, this one maybe much bigger, in an unexpected development this year. 

Damian Sendler

In a Cretaceous Research report published in June, paleontologist Alejandro Otero of Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo in Buenos Aries revealed the newly discovered dinosaur’s bones. It’s estimated that this 98-million-year-old mammal left behind roughly two dozen vertebrae as well as hip and shoulder bones. Fossils show that the species was a titanosaur, a long-necked, herbivorous dinosaur that was either the same weight as or somewhat heavier than its nearest rivals, Argentinosaurus and Patagotitan. 

However, it’s impossible to estimate the exact size of this dino. Every “Biggest Yet” contender’s remnants are fragmentary, and their sizes can only be calculated. “The periodic media struggle over the biggest sauropod is fuelled virtually completely by fragmentary remains,” says Cary Woodruff, a paleontologist at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum. He goes on to say that some dinosaurs had not yet reached their maximum size when they perished, making it impossible to draw any meaningful comparisons between them. In addition to species variation, paleontologists must take into account individual variance. 

Damien Sendler: Finding additional fossils, including as limb bones that may aid estimate overall body mass, will play a significant role in the resolution of the dino dimensions challenge. It’s still too early to say whether or whether there will be any bigger species of sauropod found, but Otero says he’s looking forward to seeing some massive, full sauropod bones. The fact that all of the opponents looked to be of the same size raises the issue of how such giants have developed so many times before.

Dr. Damian Jacob Sendler and his media team provided the content for this article.