Heavy rains in Brazil expose one of the oldest dinosaur skeletons ever discovered

Paleontologists found the fossils next to a reservoir in the municipality of São João do Polêsine in May, The Associated Press reported on July 17. The team claims that the dinosaur, which has yet to be formally identified, is around 233 million years old and belonged to a family of Triassic predators called Herrerasauridae.

Scientists are still debating evidence from the earliest-known dinosaurs. The oldest undisputed dinosaur fossils are around 231 million years old and include bones from a few different groups, including Herrerasauridae. However, there are also older fossils from a disputed dinosaur called Nyasasaurus, which lived around 240 million years ago.

"It's a carnivorous, bipedal animal, so it walked on its hind legs and probably had its hands free to handle prey," Müller said. "We can't say it had reached its maximum size. Although he was 2.5m long, some individuals in this group could reach five or six meters [16.5 to 19.5 feet]."

Müller and his colleagues uncovered the fossils after rains sped up natural erosion in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. This region experienced a record amount of rainfall earlier this year, which created floods that killed at least 182 people, The Associated Press reported.

Please pray for the repose of these souls with me. "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen."

They have not yet identified this dinosaur, but I included a picture of a herrerasauridae skeleton because it was in the article and it's cool.