Dasosaurus tocantinensis: New Brazilian тιтanosauriform Confirms Ancient Land Bridge Between Africa, Europe, and South America

A giant new тιтanosauriform sauropod, Dasosaurus tocantinensis, has been described from Early Cretaceous rocks in northeastern Brazil, providing compelling evidence for a land connection that once linked South America, northern Africa, and Europe around 120–140 million years ago.

The partial skeleton was uncovered in 2021 during road construction near Davinópolis in Maranhão state, within the Aptian-aged Itapecuru Formation. Measuring approximately 20 meters (66 feet) in length, the animal belonged to the Somphospondyli clade of тιтanosauriforms. Its closest known relative is the Spanish species Garumbaтιтan morellensis, recovered from roughly contemporaneous deposits in Europe.

Published February 12, 2026, in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology by Elver L. Mayer and colleagues, the study combines detailed osteology, bone histology, and phylogenetic analysis. The Brazilian taxon exhibits a mosaic of primitive and derived traits, including specific vertebral and limb features that place it firmly as the sister taxon to the European form. Biogeographic modeling indicates the common ancestor originated in Europe, with dispersal to South America occurring via northern Africa while the continents remained connected as remnants of Gondwana.

Bone microstructure reveals a growth pattern blending basal sauropod and тιтanosaur characteristics, supporting its placement within early-diverging somphospondylians. This discovery not only expands the Early Cretaceous sauropod record of northern South America but also demonstrates that dinosaur lineages could cross what is now the South Atlantic long before full oceanic separation.

Housed at insтιтutions in Brazil, the fossils highlight how infrastructure projects continue to yield scientific treasures. Dasosaurus tocantinensis stands as powerful proof that ancient continental bridges shaped the distribution of giant herbivores across the proto-Atlantic world.