Thrilling: Scientists identify 2 new dinosaur species from Transylvania

An international research team has classified two newly identified dinosaur species that once inhabited the Hațeg Basin, one of which is notably large—challenging previous assumptions about Transylvanian dinosaurs, according to Zoltán Csiki-Sava from the University of Bucharest.

The research team, composed of experts from the University of Bucharest, the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, and University College London, identified the two species and named them Petrustitan hungaricus and Uriash kadici. These dinosaurs belonged to the sauropod suborder within the titanosaur family—large, long-necked, four-legged herbivores.

The University of Bucharest announced that the classification of these new species marks a significant step in understanding the diversity of European dinosaurs that lived 70 million years ago. It also provides new insights into their habitats and how they coexisted. With these additions, the number of titanosaurs discovered in what was once Hațeg Island now stands at four.

A breakthrough discovery: larger-than-expected dinosaurs

Details of the new species were published in the scientific journal Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. Zoltán Csiki-Sava, a geologist and researcher at the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, noted that while the identification of two new species is significant in itself, what makes this discovery particularly intriguing is the notably large size of Uriash kadici.

• Read also: Dinosaur graveyard found under destroyed Hungarian village

For years, the prevailing theory about the Hațeg Basin dinosaurs was that they were island dwarfs—an evolutionary response to limited habitat and food availability. “Large herbivores tend to shrink in island environments because space and resources are scarce, forcing them to adapt,” explained Csiki-Sava. Previous discoveries in the region supported this model, as the dinosaurs found so far were considerably smaller than their Western European relatives.

Rethinking island evolution

The newly described Petrustitan hungaricus measured around 3–4 metres in length, similar in size to Magyarosaurus dacus, a species first identified by renowned palaeontologist Ferenc Nopcsa. However, Uriash kadici was nearly four times as long and ten times as heavy. It is estimated to have measured between 9 and 11 metres in length and weighed 8 to 9 tonnes—impressive even by Western European dinosaur standards.

According to Csiki-Sava, their hypothesis suggests that this particular species did not shrink due to the presence of already existing dwarf herbivores, which had filled the ecological niche meant for smaller plant-eaters. Researchers had long suspected that larger dinosaurs may have lived in the Hațeg Basin.

“Not only did we confirm the existence of one such large-bodied dinosaur, but we also showed that their remains appeared consistently across millions of years,” emphasised the geologist.

He pointed out that the ancient Hațeg Island existed for approximately 7–8 million years, during which different faunal communities succeeded one another, each including at least one species of large dinosaur.

• Read also: Unearthing Hungary: dinosaur fossils found in Bakony

Reevaluating fossil discoveries and future excavations

Csiki-Sava believes this discovery suggests that island evolution was far more complex than previously assumed.

The research also involved reevaluating old discoveries. The remains of Petrustitan hungaricus were originally found by Ferenc Nopcsa before 1906, and the species was newly classified based on fossils stored at the Natural History Museum in London. Uriash kadici is named after Ottokár Kadic, a Croatian-born Hungarian geologist who excavated in Hațeg between 1909 and 1915, discovering fossils that are now housed in the Geological Institute of Budapest. By comparing these remains with other bones, the research team identified distinctive features that warranted classification as a new species.

Excavations in the Hațeg Basin are ongoing. In recent years, Hungarian geologists, led by Gábor Botfalvai from Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), have joined the exploration, uncovering additional fossils that are still under study.

“It is entirely possible that these findings will lead to the identification of more new dinosaur species,” Csiki-Sava added.

The Hațeg Basin is part of the Hațeg UNESCO Global Geopark, home to numerous palaeontological sites. Declared a protected area in 2004, it was added to the list of European Geoparks under UNESCO’s patronage in 2005.

Read also:

• PHOTOS: Hungarian research team finds dinosaur remains near Vajdahunyad

To read or share this article in Hungarian, click here: Helló Magyar