Fossil remains of a herd of 11 dinosaurs discovered in Italy | dinosaurs

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A treasure trove of fossils from a flock of 11 dinosaurs has been identified for the first time in Italy, including the largest and most complete dinosaur skeleton ever found in the country.

Although isolated dinosaur remains have been discovered in Italy since the 1990s, paleontologists have now identified an entire group at Villaggio del Pescatore, a former limestone quarry near the northeastern coastal city of Trieste.

The fossilized remains belong to the type Tethyshadros insularis, which lived 80 million years ago and reached five meters in length.

Federico Fanti, a professor at the University of Bologna and leader of a research team, said the results were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Villaggio del Pescatore first became famous for dinosaurs in 1996 after discovering a dinosaur skeleton that paleontologists called Antonio and initially thought was a “dwarf type.” But recent discoveries contradict this, as it is now believed that Antony was a small dinosaur that was part of the same herd that died together. The largest fossilized remains among the group are named Bruno.

“Bruno is the largest and oldest of the group, and the largest dinosaur skeleton ever found in Italy,” Fante said. “We knew there were dinosaurs at the site after Antonio’s discovery, but until now no one has actually verified how many there are. What we have now are multiple bones belonging to the same herd.”

Fossilized remains of fish, crocodiles, flying reptiles and even small shrimp were found at the site, which 80 million years ago was part of the ancient Mediterranean.

“This is so cool that we can see what kind of environment the dinosaurs lived in and died in,” Fante added. “During that period, the area was very close to shore in a warm and humid tropical environment capable of feeding herds of dinosaurs.”

Some of the excavations found so far in Villaggio del Pescatore, a conservation area, are on display at the Civic Museum of Natural History in Trieste, and experts hope to eventually open part of the site to the public.

In January, footprints believed to belong to a prehistoric reptile resembling a crocodile were found in the Italian Alps.

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