Intercontinental evidence of the iconic genus Diplodocus Marsh, 1878 (Dinosauria, Sauropoda)

The sauropod Diplodocus is one of the most iconic dinosaurs, with fossils traditionally known from the Morrison Formation (U.S.A.; Kimmeridgian–Tithonian). Here, we describe a new diplodocid specimen recovered from the Villar del Arzobispo Formation (El Castellar, Teruel, Spain; upper Kimmeridgian–Tithonian). This specimen represents one of the most complete diplodocid skeletons discovered in Europe, consisting of 14 caudal vertebrae and several chevrons. Osteological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses (maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference) consistently placed the specimen within the genus Diplodocus. This discovery enhances and expands our understanding of sauropod diversity in the Late Jurassic coastal ecosystems of eastern Iberia. Moreover, it provides the first intercontinental evidence of this genus and constitutes one of the strongest pieces of evidence of episodic dispersal events and faunal exchanges across the proto-North Atlantic Ocean during the late Kimmeridgian–early Tithonian.