The first Arabian dinosaur fossils have turned up on the Arabian Peninsula Science 2.0 reported Wednesday.
Scientists found the Sauropod fossils in the North West region of the country by the coast of the Red Sea Science 2.0 reported. The former beach was once full of bones and teeth from old water reptiles and dinosaurs, and is now dry and sandy Science 20 reported.
"Dinosaur fossils are exceptionally rare in the Arabian Peninsula, with only a handful of highly fragmented bones documented this far," Dr. Benjamin Kear the main author behind the study told Science 20. "This discovery is important not only because of where the remains were found, but also because of the fact that we can actually identify them. Indeed, these are the first taxonomically recognizable dinosaurs reported from the Arabian Peninsula," told Science 20. Kear also works at Uppsala University in Sweden.
"These are the first taxonomically recognizable dinosaurs reported from the Arabian peninsula," Kear told Arab News.
Scientists found the bones while digging for other artifacts while being guided by the Saudi Geological Survey, Jeddah Science 2.0 reported.
"Similar dinosaurs have been found in North Africa, Madagascar and as far away as South America," the researchers said in a statement Arab News reported.
Sauropods have long strings of vertebrae, which reach down to their necks from their necks and head Science 2.0 reported.
The species length was estimated to be over 20 meters or 65 feet. It also had teeth six meters in length Science 2.0 reported.
The dinosaurs nostrils were on the upper parts of the animal's skull instead of at the end of its nostrils and nasal cavity according to information from The University of California at Berkeley.
The species are 72 million years, and resided below water while they were in existence Science 2.0 reported.
