Wake up, new Rajasthani dinosaur just dropped. And she’s the world's oldest vegetarian dino

The scorching heat of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, has revealed a paleontological treasure that sheds new light on the history of dinosaurs. A collaborative effort between the brainiacs at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT-Roorkee) and the dino detectives from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has unveiled the fossilized remains of the world's oldest vegetarian dinosaur in Jaisalmer.

In the modern era, the Thar Desert is situated in western India's Rajasthan state, but during the Mesozoic Era, it was a tropical shoreline along the Tethys Ocean, teeming with dinosaurs and marine life.

Picture this: around 167 million years ago, when the Thar Desert was more of a tropical beach than a parched wasteland, there lived the original herbivore trendsetter – Tharosaurus indicus. This long-necked, plant-munching marvel is a dicraeosaurid dinosaur, part of the sauropod gang that ruled the Jurassic and Cretaceous scenes.

167 million yrs old fossil remains of a long-necked plant eating dicraeosaurid #dinosaurs has been recovered from #Jaisalmer. The remains are of new species that has been named as Tharosaurus Indicus.

reports @MohitaTOI

Read more about it here : https://t.co/WcVKNO3j7v https://t.co/c8hVJNTVtU pic.twitter.com/ZAtFKy5DxT

— Arvind Chauhan 💮🛡️ (@Arv_Ind_Chauhan) August 19, 2023

The discovered specimen, named Tharosaurus indicus, is the first known dicraeosaurid from India and the oldest of its kind ever found globally. But what makes Tharosaurus indicus a true "rock star" (pun intended) is its debut in India's paleontological stage. Paleontologists have fittingly dubbed it "Tharosaurus" after its home, and "indicus" as a shoutout to its Indian roots.

An excitable friend told me that my recent book was now officially a dinosaur! I will now have to break the news to her that “Tharosaurus Indicus”, the new plant-eating dinosaur found in India, is actually named for the Thar Desert, where it was unearthed! https://t.co/ggaQs2nQiy

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 12, 2023

The researchers behind the discovery suggest that this finding underscores the vital importance of exploring fossils in the Indian subcontinent to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the planet's prehistory. The discovery of Tharosaurus indicus challenges earlier assumptions about dinosaur populations in India. 

The scientists have named this newly discovered dinosaur species as #TharosaurusIndicus. They had long necks and elongated bodies. This is a pioneering discovery in #BharatRashtra,
Thar desert was a coastline to the Tethys Ocean, back then, that was inhabited by these herbivores. pic.twitter.com/U6k5vQVoWJ

— BHĀRAT RĀSHTRA (@BHARAT__RASHTRA) August 20, 2023

It breaks the ancient stereotype that India was just a "dino-free zone." Contrary to popular belief, India was a happening hub for dino evolution.

• This finding suggests that the Thar Desert, once a tropical hangout spot, hosted a lively lineup of vegetarian giants.
• This finding also suggests a more diverse dinosaur population in the region during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous periods.

Tharosaurus indicus provides critical insights into the evolutionary history of sauropods, a diverse group of long-necked dinosaurs that dominated landscapes during the Mesozoic Era.

• The fossil exhibits unique characteristics, including elongated depressions on the neck bones' sides, neural spines with deep divisions resembling upward spikes on the neck, and a heart-shaped front surface on its tail bones. 
• These features not only differentiate it from other dicraeosaurids but also contribute to our understanding of sauropod adaptations and evolution.

The discovery of the Tharosaurus, along with other primitive dinosaur findings such as the Barapasaurus and Kotasaurus, suggests that India played a crucial role in the emergence and diversification of neosauropods, a group of long-necked vegetarian dinosaurs that grew to become the largest land animals of their time.

This revelation dovetails with the broader narrative of India's significance in the evolution of various vertebrate groups. Tharosaurus indicus joins the ranks of India's fossil celebrities like Indohyus and Cambaytherium, offering vital clues about the origin stories of whales and horses.

• Despite the importance of such discoveries, the field of vertebrate paleontology in India faces challenges. 
• Limited access to fossil sites due to mining activities, dense forest cover, insufficient funding, and a scarcity of job opportunities for paleontologists hinder comprehensive research. 
• However, recent federal proposals aimed at preserving geo-heritage sites, including critical fossil sites, offer hope for the advancement of paleontological exploration in the country.

This exciting new finding underscores the need for continued exploration and protection of paleontological sites in India to unravel the mysteries of our planet's past.

But to conclude, what do you reckon the Tharosaurus would enjoy more - Dal Bati Churma or Gatte ki Sabzi?