Scientists from Tomsk examined the remains of a giant animal, found in the Kemerovo region, and concluded that the bones belonged to a previously unknown species of dinosaur. Paleontologist Sergei Leshchinsky told Sputnik in an interview about the features that distinguish this reptile from all other representatives.

"Specific structural features of this dinosaur make it differ from its relatives, according to what was said in an official release. We cannot say that this reptile was, for example, sturdier than the others because it is unknown yet," Sergei Leshchinsky, the head of the Laboratory of Mesozoic and Cenozoic Continental Ecosystems at the Tomsk State University (TSU), told Sputnik.

The researchers identified that the remains belonged to a four-legged herbivore, titanosaur. It was revealed that the dinosaur's sacral ribs were arranged in a star shape and converged toward the center. There was also no connection of the vertebra in the neural arch. According to a TSU statement, ancient reptiles with such a structure of the skeleton have never been found before.

"The dinosaur had a barrel-shaped body, small head and very long tail and neck," Leshchinsky told Sputnik. The titanosaur, which lived in the Early Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago, was about 20 meters long and weighed about 50 tons.

The unique finds were discovered by the paleontologists of the TSU in a period from 1995 to 2011 near Shestakovo village in Kemerovo region. Since the fragments were preserved in blocks of sandstone, it took a few years to release them from the rock.

"Since this is the only specimen found, it is difficult to precisely define the entire habitat of the species. We can say with precision that the reptile lived in the south of modern Western Siberia, and possibly in the territories close to Mongolia," Leshchinsky noted.

The TSU scientists are currently finishing the description of their finding and putting the dinosaur's fragments together. The new species will soon be given a Latin name.