The fossilized bones are believed to a new Titanosaur species

May 19, 2014 08:35 GMT  ·  By

On Saturday, scientists announced the discovery of the biggest real-life animal ever to walk the earth. They revealed that the gigantic remains of a dinosaur believed to be the world's largest had been unearthed in an Argentina desert.

After analyzing the fossilized bones of the creature, paleontologists from the Museum of Paleontology Egidio Feruglio determined that the dinosaur would have been 40m (130ft) long and 20m (65ft) tall, equal to a seven-story building.

They also said it would have weighed in at 77 tons (around 170,000 pounds) – the equivalent of 14 African elephants, which means the giant dino is both heavier and longer than the Argentinosaurus, the previous record holder.

The gigantic bones were accidentally found by a local farm worker in a desert land near La Flecha, in Patagonia, a region that has yielded many important dinosaur discoveries. The fossils were then excavated by a team of researchers from the aforementioned museum, led by Dr. Jose Luis Carballido and Dr. Diego Pol.

“Given the size of these bones, which surpass any of the previously known giant animals, the new dinosaur is the largest animal known that walked on Earth,” the researchers told BBC News.

Paleontologists reportedly unearthed the partial skeletons of seven specimens, believed to belong to a new Titanosaur species which has not yet been named. The new species is described as a long-necked, long-tailed, herbivore sauropod with a relatively small head, and is believed to have lived in Patagonia between 95 and 100 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period.

“It will be named describing its magnificence and in honor to both the region and the farm owners who alerted us about the discovery,” the researchers said.

The bones were initially discovered in 2011, but the evacuation did not begin until 2013. A total of 150 fossils have been uncovered so far, but researchers have only excavated one firth of the site, so more discoveries are likely to be made.

The find includes bones from the neck, legs, back and tail, all in good condition, and scientists say it represents the most complete find of Titanosaur fossils in the world.

Dinosaurs first appeared on Earth about 228 million years ago during the Triassic period, and were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for 135 million years. They achieved stunning dimensions during the Jurassic Period and then disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous Period about 65 million years ago.