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A new quadruped dinosaur species that weighed about 26,000 pounds – twice as many as two adult African elephants – and squatted like a cat was discovered by scientists in South Africa.
Nicknamed the Ledumahadi mafubeThe herbivorous dinosaur, which has never been described in the scientific literature, was discovered by researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.
His bones had been discovered decades ago during a construction project in the country, but they remained untested at the university for many years – until now.
The name of the dinosaur means "giant thunderbolt at dawn" in southern Sotho, a Bantu language spoken in the region, a nod to the huge size of the dinosaur.
It is thought that the dinosaur crossed South Africa 200 million years ago.
According to the researchers' findings, published online Sept. 27 in the journal Current Biology, Ledumahadi mafube was "the largest terrestrial animal to have existed at the time when he lived in the oldest Jurassic".
Based on an analysis of the fossilized bone growth rings of the dinosaur, the researchers estimated that the newly discovered dinosaur was almost 14 years old.
According to the study, Ledumahadi mafube was a "transient" creature that evolved from a smaller ancestor who was bipedal. He walked on all fours, squatting like a cat, but he could also appear on his hind legs to hunt for food or feed if necessary. This feature has allowed him to be stable and helps to explain why quadruped creatures that have evolved, such as brontosaurus, have become so huge.
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