A newly named dinosaur from Thailand is generating major excitement after researchers announced that the giant plant-eater may be the largest dinosaur ever discovered in Southeast Asia.

The dinosaur, Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, is drawing attention for its enormous size, myth-inspired name, and the fact that its fossils were uncovered in northeastern Thailand.

According to a new study published in Scientific Reports, the long-necked sauropod likely measured about 88.5 feet in length and weighed roughly 30 tons — about the same as nine adult Asian elephants.

Researchers say, according to Popular Science, that fossils, including parts of the spine, ribs, pelvis, and legs, were discovered near a pond in Thailand's Chaiyaphum province roughly 10 years ago. One front leg bone alone was roughly the length of a human, giving paleontologists an early indication of the dinosaur's immense size.

"Our dinosaur is big by most people's standards — it likely weighed at least 10 tonnes [11 tons] more than Dippy the Diplodocus (Diplodocus carnegii)," study co-author Thitiwoot (Perth) Sethapanichsakul said in a statement. "However, it is still dwarfed by sauropods like Patagotitan (60 tonnes [66 tons]) or Ruyangosaurus (50 tonnes [55 tons])."

Part of the fascination comes from the dinosaur's name itself. "Naga" references mythological serpent beginnings found in Thai and Southeast Asian folklore, while "Titan" evokes the giants of Greek mythology. The species name, chaiyaphumensis, honors the province where the fossils were found.

FROM OUR PARTNER

Support pets in need with these special-edition memory foam shoes

BOBS from Skechers has helped over 2 million shelter pets around the world — and the charity program just announced this year’s Paws for a Cause design-winning sneakers.

These "hound huggers" and "kitten kicks" sneakers are machine washable and equipped with memory foam insoles. Plus, they were designed by passionate students who were inspired by their very own rescue pets.

BOBS from Skechers is also committed to donating half a million dollars to the Best Friends Animal Society this year to help every dog and cat experience the safety and support of a loving home.

"We refer to Nagatitan as 'the last titan' of Thailand. That is because it was discovered in Thailand's youngest dinosaur-bearing rock formation," Sethapanichsakul said. "Younger rocks laid down towards the end of the time of the dinosaurs are unlikely to contain dinosaur remains because the region by then had become a shallow sea. So this may be the last or most recent large sauropod we will find in Southeast Asia."

Nagatitan lived roughly 100 million to 120 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period, when northeastern Thailand was much drier than it is today. Scientists believe the dinosaur inhabited an arid to semi-arid environment near winding river systems shared with fish, crocodiles, freshwater sharks, pterosaurs, smaller herbivorous dinosaurs, and large carnivores.

Beyond its size, the discovery is important because fossils like these help researchers reconstruct ancient ecosystems and understand how landscapes evolved over time.

The team determined that Nagatitan belonged to Euhelopodidae, a subgroup of sauropods found only in Asia, and identified unique traits in its spine, pelvis, and legs that distinguished it from related species.

TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight

💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all

Nagatitan is the 14th dinosaur species formally named in Thailand, and a full-scale reconstruction is now on display at the Thainosaur Museum.

"I've always been a dinosaur kid," said Sethapanichsakul. "This study doesn't just establish a new species but also fulfills a childhood promise of naming a dinosaur."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.