Paleontologist Mauro Aranciaga found four types of long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs (sauropods) in the Rio Negro province in the Argentinean Patagonia. They were baptized with the name of Menucocelsior Arraigadai.
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Sponsored by the National Geographic, the Aranciaga expedition resulted in the discovery of a species that was 10 meters high and weighed 6 tons. Researchers also found remains of 2 unnamed species and a smaller dinosaur named Rocasaurus muniozi.
The Menucocelsior owns its name to giant bodies of water in the zone called Menucos, and "Celsior" the Latin word for big. Arriagada is the family name of the owners of the fields where the discovery was made.
The fossils will be kept in the Patagonian Museum of Natural Sciences, which is part of the Rio Negro Culture Secretary.
A noteworthy finding of the expedition was a sort of flexible bone shield that worked as protection against carnivorous dinosaurs. A notable predatorial dinosaur, called Niebla antiqua, was also found on the same site in Oct. 2018.
The Patagonia has become famous for its prehistoric finds. Vast and diverse fossil remains have been found in almost pristine conditions, including the largest animal to have ever walked the earth, the Patagotitan Mayorum, which was 40 meters long and weighed 80 tons.
Since 2005 paleontologists have discovered 5 hectares filled with fossils in a sort of mass grave on a nearby department in the same province. Over 16 titanosaurs were found on that occasion. There is no scientific explanation yet around such an event.