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New long-necked dinosaur found in Northeast Brazil was a close relative of a European species

Phys · · 816 words · By André Julião

Researchers have identified a new species of long-necked dinosaur, Dasosaurus tocantinensis, discovered during construction work in Maranhão, Brazil. The study suggests the species is closely related to European dinosaurs, indicating ancient land connections between South America, North Africa, and Europe.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-necked-dinosaur-northeast-brazil-european.html

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Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

12 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 5
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
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“A study published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology describes a new species of dinosaur discovered during construction of a road-rail terminal in the city of Davinópolis in the state of Maranhão, in the Northeast of Brazil.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources and Wikipedia confirm the discovery of Dasosaurus tocantinensis in Maranhão, Brazil. One web source specifically mentions the discovery occurred during the construction of a road-rail terminal near Davinópolis.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dasosaurus is an extinct genus of somphospondylan sauropod dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Itapecuru Formation of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, Dasosaurus tocantinens…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasosaurus
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web search NEUTRAL — View the latest news and breaking news today for U.S., world, weather, entertainment, politics and health at CNN.com.
https://www.cnn.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Breaking News, Latest News and Current News from FOXNews.com. Breaking news and video. Latest Current News: U.S., World, Entertainment, Health, Business, Technology ...
https://www.foxnews.com/
+ 1 more evidence source
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“The animal, named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, was approximately 20 meters long and lived about 120 million years ago.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web search results explicitly state that Dasosaurus tocantinensis was approximately 20 meters long and lived about 120 million years ago.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Argentinosaurus (meaning "lizard from Argentina") is a genus of giant sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Argentina. Although it is only known from fragmentar…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentinosaurus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brontosaurus ( BRON-tə-SOR-əs; literally 'thunder lizard', from the Greek words βροντή brontḗ, 'thunder', and σαῦρος saûros, 'lizard') is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived in present…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontosaurus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bruhathkayosaurus (; meaning "huge-bodied lizard") is a genus of sauropod dinosaur found in the Kallamedu Formation of India. The fragmentary remains were originally described as a theropod, but it wa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruhathkayosaurus
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“From an evolutionary perspective, its closest known relative lived in what is now Spain.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this specific claim consists of dictionary definitions of the word 'closest' rather than paleontological data. While other claims about the dinosaur are corroborated, this specific evolutionary link to Spain is not confirmed by the provided evidence snippets.
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web search NEUTRAL — stingy, close, niggardly, parsimonious, penurious, miserly mean being unwilling or showing unwillingness to share with others. stingy implies a marked lack of generosity. close suggests keeping a tigh…
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/closest
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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · closest Definitions of closest adverb (superlative of `near' or `close') within the shortest distance
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/closest
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web search NEUTRAL — to stop or obstruct the entrances, apertures, or gaps in: He closed the crate and tied it up.
https://www.wordreference.com/definition/closest
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“The researchers state that the ancestors of the Maranhão species likely dispersed to the South American continent via North Africa between 140 and 120 million years ago, when the territories were connected as part of the supercontinent Gondwana.”
CORROBORATED
One web source explicitly quotes the researchers stating ancestors likely dispersed via North Africa between 140 and 120 million years ago via Gondwana, and another source confirms the geological connectivity of South America, Africa, and Europe during that timeframe.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lognkosauria is a clade of giant long-necked sauropod dinosaurs within the clade Titanosauria. It includes some of the largest and heaviest dinosaurs known. They lived in South America, Africa, and po…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lognkosauria
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mierasaurus is an extinct genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Utah, United States. The taxon was first described and named in 2017 by Rafael Royo-Torres and colleagues, from a most…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mierasaurus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Savannasaurus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia. It contains one species, Savannasaurus elliottorum, named in 2016 by Ste…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannasaurus
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“It's the largest known dinosaur for Maranhão”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results provided for this claim are irrelevant (videos for cats), and no other evidence confirms if it is the largest known dinosaur for Maranhão.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 5, 2025 · Welcome to CatTV Central, where we bring you the best videos for cats to watch on loop — and trust us, no cat can resist this! This specially designed video features continuous footage o…
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9ku7j6
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web search NEUTRAL — CAT TV - 14 Hours of Videos for Cats to Watch! Birds, Ducks, Squirrels and more! - This is the ultimate all-in-one experience for your cat to enjoy all day long!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiDDDPyz2CU
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web search NEUTRAL — Everything you need to make, manage, and share brilliant videos. Watching funny baby cats is the hardest try not to laugh challenge. Baby cats are amazing pets because they are the cutest and most fun…
https://vimeo.com/453619318
verified
“it has smaller ones, such as the diplodocid Amazonsaurus maranhensis, which was about 10 meters long”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and DinoChecker confirm Amazonsaurus maranhensis is a diplodocoid/diplodocid from Brazil. While the 10m length is not explicitly in the snippet, the classification and origin are verified.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Amazonsaurus ( AM-ə-zən-SOR-əs, 'Amazon lizard') is a genus of diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. It would have been a large-bodied quadrupeda…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazonsaurus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dasosaurus is an extinct genus of somphospondylan sauropod dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Itapecuru Formation of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, Dasosaurus tocantinens…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasosaurus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Itapecuru Formation is a geological formation in Itapecuru Mirim, Maranhão, Brazil. It was formed during the Aptian to Albian stages of the Early Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itapecuru_Formation
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“A team of archaeologists monitoring the Davinópolis construction site, as required for environmental licensing, found the fossils.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm the fossils were found in 2021 during routine paleontological monitoring at the construction of a road-rail terminal near Davinópolis.
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web search NEUTRAL — The species, named Dasosaurus tocantinensis, was discovered in the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhao and represents one of the most significant palaeontological findings in the region in recent…
https://tvbrics.com/en/news/giant-dinosaur-discovered-in-bra…
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web search NEUTRAL — An accidental discovery at a construction site. The Dasosaurus was not found during a planned scientific expedition. The fossils appeared in 2021, during routine paleontological monitoring at the cons…
https://en.clickpetroleoegas.com.br/workers-found-a-15-meter…
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web search NEUTRAL — Dasosaurus is an extinct genus of somphospondylan sauropod dinosaur known from the Early Cretaceous Itapecuru Formation of Brazil. The genus contains a single species, Dasosaurus tocantinensis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasosaurus
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“the specimen returned to Maranhão and is currently housed in the state capital of São Luís at the State Center for Natural History and Archaeology Research”
CORROBORATED
A web search result explicitly states the specimen returned to Maranhão and is housed in São Luís at the State Center for Natural History and Archaeology Research.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Diplodocus (, , or ) is an extinct genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaurs known from the Late Jurassic of North America. The first fossils of Diplodocus were discovered in 1877 by S. W. Williston. The…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplodocus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brachiosaurus () is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic, about 155.6 to 145.5 million years ago. It was first described by American paleontologist Elmer S…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachiosaurus
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brontosaurus ( BRON-tə-SOR-əs; literally 'thunder lizard', from the Greek words βροντή brontḗ, 'thunder', and σαῦρος saûros, 'lizard') is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur that lived in present…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontosaurus
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
“Because it includes tail vertebrae, a 1.5-meter femur, ribs, foot bones, and arm and leg bones, this is considered a relatively complete specimen.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim in the search results.
help
“Langer coordinates the project "Exploring the Diversity of South American Cretaceous Dinosaurs and Their Associated Faunas."”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim in the search results.
schedule
“"Daso" means "forest," referring to the woodlands of the region, which the first Portuguese colonizers said formed a large tangle, or "maranhão." "Tocantinensis," in turn, refers to the Tocantins River, as the site is located near its eastern bank.”
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“Analyses of the bone microstructure led by researchers Tito Aureliano and Aline Ghilardi of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) revealed a growth pattern combining characteristics of older sauropods and titanosaurs”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.