Scientists on Monday unveiled the replica of a skeleton that is said to be from the largest dinosaur species yet discovered in Brazil — a mid-sized herbivore that roamed central Brazil some 80 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period.
A scientific description of the dinosaur, which represents a previously unknown species and measured some 13 metres from head to tail, was published on August 11 in Brazilian National Museum's bulletin.
Scientists named the dinosaur species Maxakalisaurus Topai in homage to the Maxakali Indian tribe, which inhabits the region of Minas Gerais state where the bones were found.
"This is the biggest dinosaur yet described in Brazil," said Alexander Kellner, lead author of the scientific description. "We have found the bones of what appear to be larger dinosaurs, but we still haven't been able to put them together for scientific descriptions."
The dinosaur, which weighed an estimated nine tons, belongs to the Titanosaur group, which means Titanic lizard.