Researchers from renowned Brazilian universities, led by the USP Zoology Museum and the Federal University of Uberlândia, made a discovery of enormous proportions in the interior of São Paul.
In September 2023, a team of scientists unearthed dinosaur footprintsin General Salgado (SP), located more than six hours by car from the capital of São Paulo.
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(Image: Reproduction/Folha de São Paulo)
The find is incredible not only for its uniqueness, but also for the period that these footprints represent, dating back to approximately 90 to 100 million years ago.
The block of rock that contained the footprints, with an impressive weight of around 100 kilograms, is part of an even larger block divided into three parts.
Such footprints provide intriguing clues about the presence of at least three distinct types of dinosaurs in the region millions of years ago.
Among the identified species, we highlight a theropod, notable for walking on two legs, like the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Velociraptor, generally classified as a carnivore.
The other two appear to belong to the group of herbivores. One of them is a sauropod, characterized by its thick legs and massive body, while the third dinosaur is an ornithopod, a biped with unique characteristics.
Professor Marcelo Adorna, from the Federal University of São Carlos (Ufscar), commented on the discovery:
“It could be that at least three different animals are represented there. The theropod is indisputable, due to the three clearly visible fingers with a claw, and it could be that perhaps there is another with the shape more rounded, similar to hooves, in addition to a third, very circular, which could have been a baby sauropod. These are interpretations that we make later, in the laboratory”, explains the researcher.
This rare discovery raises several questions about the lives of the dinosaurs that inhabited the territory where São Paulo is today. Paulo, allowing researchers to better understand the biodiversity that existed in the region during the period cretaceous.
Despite the relevance of the discovery, the absence of other remains or footprints in the rocks makes it difficult to accurately identify the species involved.
This is not the only expedition in Brazil in search of dinosaur remains. The “Dinosaur Trail”, led by USP, has also covered 24 municipalities in São Paulo.
The expedition seeks more records and, hopefully, better-preserved remains than just footprints. However, to date, there have been no reports of discoveries similar to General Salgado's.
