Argentine Palaeontologists have discovered the largely intact skeleton of a young titanosaurus that lived 71 million years ago, local media reported.
"What's extraordinary about this is that the remains were articulated, as if the animal had fallen or lain down and remained that way. There were no signs that it was preyed on," geologist and palaeontologist Bernardo Gonzalez Riga was quoted as saying.
Scientists discovered the remains of a foot "with all its toes and claws in an exceptional state of preservation," as well as the complete rear bones, tail, "and part of the pelvis," Gonzalez said.
Such finds are rare, said Gonzalez, adding that there are only one or two titanosauruses in the world with complete feet.
Gonzalez is a professor at Cuyo University, one of two universities with teams that excavated the remains.
"This now adds to that and brings new data of regional national and international relevance," he said.
The remains were discovered while German petroleum company, Wintershall Energy was prospecting for oil in Nuequen province, where many pale ontological discoveries have been made.
An initial examination of the remains suggest a small young titanousaurus about 10 meters (yards) long that weighed about 12 tons. The giant herbivores, which grew up to 35 meters long, lived during the late Cretaceous period (83-65 million years ago).
While the skeleton is almost complete from ribs to tale, there is no sign of the head and neck, which were likely washed away over the millennia, said Gonzalez.
The fossils were taken to the Lago Barreales Palentological Centre in Neuquen for analysis, the report said.