Largest two-legged dinosaur footprints discovered, scientists say

Scientists have made a significant discovery in Mongolia, uncovering a massive dinosaur footprint that belonged to one of the largest two-legged animals to have ever lived on Earth.

The impressive find was made during an expedition to the Gobi Desert conducted by Okayama University of Science (OUS) and the Institute of Paleontology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, as reported by Phys.org.

The footprint, measuring a staggering three feet across, is believed to be one of the largest prints ever discovered from a hadrosaurid, a type of herbivorous bipedal dinosaur.

The dinosaur responsible for the footprint has been identified as the giant Saurolophus, which measured 50 feet from nose to tail, surpassing the Tyrannosaurus Rex in size.

This prehistoric creature lived during the late Cretaceous period, approximately 66 to 72 million years ago.

The footprint was found in an area known for dinosaur prints, including a trackway of 13 fossilized footprints that spanned nearly 80 feet.

Scientists aim to analyze the posture, walking style, speed, and group behavior of the Saurolophus by studying these footprints, providing insights that skeletal fossils cannot.

The expedition leader, Dr. Shiobu Ishigaki, revealed that the team’s next goal is to uncover the full skeleton of the large Saurolophus.

It is believed that this discovery could potentially rival the largest known hadrosaurid fossil, belonging to a Shantungosaurus found in China.

Currently, the species of Australian sauropod holds the record for the largest feet in history, measuring 5.5 feet across.