A fossilized vertebra, collected in 1985, has been formally identified as the first dinosaur bone discovered in Antarctica.

一件於 1985 年採集到的脊椎化石，已正式被鑑定為在南極發現的第一塊恐龍骨。

The specimen was recovered from James Ross Island by Dr. Mike Thomson of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) during a mission to map rock strata. Although documented in field notebooks as a 'vertebra of large reptile,' the specimen remained unclassified within the BAS geology collection for approximately four decades. Its significance was recently recognized by collections manager Dr. Mark Evans, whose preliminary assessment suggested a dinosaurian origin.

該標本是由英國南極調查局 (BAS) 的 Mike Thomson 博士在一次繪製岩層圖的任務期間，於詹姆斯-羅斯島發現的。儘管在野外筆記中被記錄為「大型爬行動物的脊椎」，但該標本在 BAS 的地質收藏中約四十年來一直未被分類。直到最近，收藏經理 Mark Evans 博士才意識到其重要性，其初步評估認為該標本起源於恐龍。

Subsequent analysis by Professor Paul Barrett of the Natural History Museum confirmed the specimen as a caudal vertebra belonging to the Titanosauria. This group is characterized by massive herbivorous sauropods; however, the dimensions of this specific vertebra indicate an individual approximately six to seven meters in length, significantly smaller than the group's larger representatives. The fossil originated from the Santa Marta Formation, a marine layer dating to the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 82 million years ago. It is hypothesized that the carcass was transported to a marine environment post-mortem, where it underwent fossilization within seabed sediments.

隨後由自然歷史博物館的 Paul Barrett 教授進行分析，確認該標本為屬於泰坦巨龍類 (Titanosauria) 的尾椎。該類群的特徵為巨大的食草龍頸類恐龍；然而，該特定脊椎的尺寸顯示，該個體長度約為六至七公尺，明顯小於該類群中較大的代表。該化石源自聖瑪塔層 (Santa Marta Formation)，這是一個約 8,200 萬年前白堊紀晚期的海洋層。目前假設該屍體在死後被運送到海洋環境，隨後在海底沉積物中發生化石化。

From a biogeographical perspective, this discovery facilitates a better understanding of dinosaur dispersal across the Southern Hemisphere. Professor Barrett posits that the presence of titanosaurs in Antarctica suggests a potential migratory corridor to Australia and New Zealand, where evidence of this group is currently sparse or absent. Furthermore, the find corroborates the existence of a prehistoric Antarctic ecosystem characterized by temperate forests and a climate warmed by volcanic activity, contrasting sharply with the contemporary glacial environment.

從生物地理學角度來看，這一發現有助於更好地理解恐龍在南半球的分佈。Barrett 教授認為，南極發現泰坦巨龍暗示可能存在一條通往澳洲與紐西蘭的遷徙走廊，而目前這些地區關於該類群的證據稀少或不存在。此外，這次發現證實了史前南極曾存在一個以溫帶森林為特徵、受火山活動影響而氣候溫暖的生態系統，與當前的冰川環境形成鮮明對比。

The identification of this titanosaur vertebra provides critical data on Late Cretaceous biodiversity and suggests that further paleontological evidence may emerge as Antarctic ice sheets retreat.

鑑定出這塊泰坦巨龍脊椎化石，為白堊紀晚期的生物多樣性提供了關鍵數據，並暗示隨著南極冰蓋退縮，可能會出現更多古生物學證據。