NEWS
Rajasaurus narmadensis – A new Indian dinosaur
Subsequent to the recent press announ- an Indian dinosaur), has imparted greater And this was the period in the earth’s cement (Mumbai; 13 August 2003) of the precision to the palaeontological assess- history when the primordial superconti- discovery of a new dinosaur species from ment of the skeletal structure and anat- nent of Gondwanaland had already dis- India – Rajasaurus narmadensis – the de- omy of Rajasaurus. With precise details membered into the present-day conti- tails of the scientific study that led to the in hand, it appeared quite attractive to nental fragments or Plates, which were announcement have been published1. the project team to make an attempt to- drifting in different directions to ultima- Possessing a regal body-frame (9 m wards reconstructing skeletal details of the tely attain the present geographic loca- long and 3 m high), the epithet of Raja head and the overall appearance with tions. At 67 m.y. the Indian Plate consisted (= king) befits the Indian dino. To ensure fleshy cover of Rajasaurus; although these exclusively of its present peninsular part, its princely appearance, Rajasaurus nar- reconstructions do not form part of the in isolation, in the form of a big ‘island’. madensis was crowned with a double- scientific publication1. Such an attempt It was drifting northward eventually to col- crested horn on its forehead. Its specific has however been made for the first time lide with the Eurasian Plate, some 1.5 m.y. name, originating from Narmada (Nar- for an Indian dinosaur. later, resulting into the formation of the mada River), denotes its habitat envi- The sediments yielding the fossil re- Himalayan mountain chain. The habitat of rons, stretching from Jabalpur in Madhya mains of Rajasaurus are dated 67 m.y. Rajasaurus in such an ‘island’ situation Pradesh to Kheda in Gujarat, all along indicates strong possibilities of indige- the length of the Narmada River. Al- nously evolved morphological chara- though the basic fossil material for the cters. Rajasaurus narmadensis can aptly present study was unearthed from the lo- be called truly an Indian dinosaur. The cality in Gujarat by the scientists of the well-known North American dinosaur Geological Survey of India (GSI), previ- Tyrannosaurus rex was, in all probabi- ous studies have shown the presence of lity, a contemporary of Rajasaurus nar- bone fragments of Rajasaurus from the madensis, but the two never met. Jabalpur fossil locality also. Rajasaurus narmadensis is the first Indian dinosaur of its kind for which pre- 1. Wilson, J. A., Sereno, P. C., Srivastava, S., served associated cranial and postcranial Bhatt, Devendra, K., Khosla, A. and Sahni, skeletal remains are available. The exca- A., Contrib. Museum Paleontol. Univ. Michigan, 2003, 31, 1–42. vation of the fossil bones of Rajasaurus
Figure 1. was done at a site in the Rahioli village Reconstructed head of Raja- of Kheda district, Gujarat, from a series saurus narmadensis. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I thank Ms Dil- of connected pits. The pits were pre- shad Master Kumar, Sr. Vice President, Natio- cisely mapped for the exact location of nal Geographic Channel, India, for supplying the bones buried therein. This has helped photograph of the reconstructed head and ske- in identifying associated bones of Ra- tch of Rajasaurus narmadensis. I also thank jasaurus from amongst several other Mr Nizamuddin Khan of NGC, India, New bone fragments belonging to other dino- Delhi for providing excellent logistic support saurs. From a collection of 33 bones, in- for attending the Mumbai Press meet on 13 August 2003. cluding braincase, vertebrae, jaw, limbs, tail bone, etc. the morphological details regarding the size and form of Rajasaurus have been conceived. The availability of a relatively large number of associated D. K. Bhatt, Geological Survey of India, bones, including the braincase (the latter Figure 2. An artist’s impression of Raja- E/5, Arera Colony, Bhopal 462 016, India. for the first time in the reconstruction of saurus narmadensis. e-mail: [email protected]
CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 85, NO. 12, 25 DECEMBER 2003 1661