西班牙科學家首次發現梁龍曾在歐洲出沒的證據

9月15日（路透社）——根據週二發表於《脊椎動物古生物學期刊》（Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology）的研究，西班牙古生物學家表示，他們已找到首項證據，顯示具代表性的長頸恐龍梁龍（Diplodocus）曾在歐洲出沒。Sept 15 (Reuters) - Spanish paleontologists say they have found the first evidence that Diplodocus, the iconic long-necked dinosaur, once roamed Europe, according to research published on Tuesday in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

來自西班牙東部特魯埃爾（Teruel）迪諾波利斯基金會（Dinopolis Foundation）的研究人員，從約1億5000萬年前的沉積物中發現一具標本的化石，包括14節尾椎及數塊人字骨。Researchers from the Dinopolis Foundation in Teruel in eastern Spain recovered fossils comprising 14 caudal vertebrae and several chevron bones of one specimen from sediments dating back around 150 million years.

主要作者塞爾吉奧・桑切斯・費諾略薩（Sergio Sanchez Fenollosa）寫道：「我們進行的解剖學研究與演化分析，使我們得以判定埃爾卡斯特利亞爾（El Castellar）標本屬於梁龍屬。這是迄今在歐洲發現最完整的梁龍科恐龍之一，也代表此屬在北美洲以外出現的首項證據。」"The anatomical study and evolutionary analyses we conducted have allowed us to identify the El Castellar specimen as belonging to the genus Diplodocus. It is one of the most complete diplodocids discovered to date in Europe and represents the first evidence of this genus outside North America," lead author Sergio Sanchez Fenollosa wrote.

迪諾波利斯基金會執行長、研究共同作者阿爾貝托・科沃斯（Alberto Cobos）表示，這具標本身長可能約25公尺（82英尺）。它加入了特魯埃爾地區已發現的侏羅紀巨型蜥腳類恐龍名單，而且這份名單仍在增加。Alberto Cobos, managing director of the Dinopolis Foundation and a co-author of the study, said the specimen likely measured around 25 metres (82 feet) in length. It joins a growing list of giant Jurassic sauropods found in the Teruel area.

草食性的梁龍最早是在1877年於懷俄明州發現的化石中被辨識出來，以長頸、鞭狀尾巴和四條粗壯的腿聞名，是全球最具辨識度的恐龍之一。First identified from fossils found in Wyoming in 1877, the herbivorous Diplodocus, known for its long neck, whip-like tail and four sturdy legs, is among the world's most recognisable dinosaurs.

（安德烈・哈利普報導；羅斯・羅素編輯）(Reporting by Andrei KhalipEditing by Ros Russell)