A recently unearthed colossal dinosaur, stretching 98 feet
in length, now bears the name of the Hindu deity Shiva, known as “The
Destroyer,” as it once roamed the lands of Argentina alongside other
towering “megatitanosaurs” over 90 million years ago. This mammoth
creature, dubbed Bustingorrytitan shiva, was meticulously reconstructed by
scientists after its fossils were found in western Argentina last year.
Collaborating with an artist, they’ve brought this Cretaceous titan to life through
striking images and videos.
B. shiva ranks among the largest sauropods ever documented,
boasting an estimated weight of approximately 74 tons (67 metric tons). New
findings indicate the coexistence of at least two colossal titanosaurs—B.
shiva’s saltasauroids and Argentinosaurus’ lognkosaurs—in North Patagonia
during the mid-Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago). These
massive creatures shared their habitat with smaller sauropods, as revealed in
the study.
The genus name “Bustingorrytitan” honors farmer
Manuel Bustingorry, who stumbled upon the dinosaur’s remains on her property,
blending it with “titan,” a nod to the giants of Greek mythology. As
it thrived during a period of both extinction and renewal, the species name
“Shiva” pays homage to the supreme deity of Shaivism, symbolizing
destruction and transformation within the universe.
You can read more about this new discovered species here at livescience.