A Fortuitous Flood
In 2005, paleontologist Kenneth Lacovara of Drexel University discovered a patch of bone in the Cerro Fortaleza Formation of southern Patagonia. This remote region of Santa Cruz Province yielded one of the most significant paleontological finds of the 21st century: Dreadnoughtus schrani. The excavation required four field seasons, from 2005 to 2009, to unearth the colossal remains. The team recovered 145 bones from two individuals, a larger holotype and a smaller companion. The larger specimen is the most complete giant titanosaur ever found, with over 70% of the bone types (excluding the skull) recovered.
The name Dreadnoughtus means "fears nothing," a nod to the massive, early 20th-century battleships it evokes. The species name, schrani, honors Adam Schran for his financial support of the research. The animal lived approximately 77 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period. Its bones were exceptionally well-preserved, showing minimal deformation and clear muscle attachment scars. This preservation is owed to its demise; the two dinosaurs were buried rapidly in a flood event, where a river levee broke and turned the ground into a soupy, liquefacted sediment that encased their bodies. This quick burial protected the skeletons from scavengers and the elements, leaving a nearly complete record of a once-living giant.