Part of: GS Prelims and GS- I – Important Geophysical phenomena
Context Recently, in a major discovery, footprints of three species of dinosaurs have been found in the Thar desert in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district.
It proves the presence of the giant reptiles in the western part of the State.
About the Discovery:
The footprints belong to three species of dinosaurs – Eubrontes cf. giganteus, Eubrontes glenrosensis and Grallator tenuis.
The footprints were 200 million years old.
The dinosaur species are considered to be of the theropod type, with the distinguishing features of hollow bones and feet with three digits (like fingers).
Theropod includes all the flesh-eating dinosaurs.
The ‘Age of Dinosaurs’ (the Mesozoic Era – 252-66 Million Years Ago) included three consecutive geologic time periods (the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods). Different dinosaur species lived during each of these three periods.
About Thar Desert
The name ‘Thar’ is derived from thul, the general term for the region’s sand ridges. It is also called the ‘Great Indian Desert’.
Location: Partly in Rajasthan state, northwestern India, and partly in Punjab and Sindh provinces, eastern Pakistan.
It is bordered by the irrigated Indus River plain to the west, the Punjab Plain to the north and northeast, the Aravalli Range to the southeast, and the Rann of Kachchh to the south.
It Presents an undulating surface, with high and low sand dunes separated by sandy plains and low barren hills, or bhakars.
Barchan, also spelled Barkhan, crescent-shaped sand dunes produced by the action of wind predominately from one direction are also present.
Several playas (saline lake beds), locally known as dhands, are scattered throughout the region.
The desert supports a relatively rich biodiversity with several large mammals, notably the blue bull, blackbuck, and Indian gazelle or chinkara.
