A Jurassic giant from Telangana. The Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis is a basal sauropod dinosaur that roamed the region now known as Telangana during the Early Jurassic period. It shared its habitat with another early sauropod, Barapasaurus, and is one of the earliest-known sauropod dinosaurs. The discovery of this dinosaur has provided crucial insights into the evolution of sauropods, which later became the largest land animals to ever walk the Earth.
Discovery and excavation. The excavation was carried out by the Palaeontology Division of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) from 1974 to 1982 in the Yamanapalli region of the Pranahita-Godavari Valley. The fossils were found in the Kota Formation, a geological formation known for its rich fossil record. The remains of at least 12 individuals were discovered, with a total of 840 skeletal parts recovered. The species was formally named and described by P.M. Yadagiri in 1988, with the specific name honouring both the village of Yamanapalli and the scientist himself.
Unique features: A tail club. Recent research has revealed that Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis possessed a bony tail club, a feature previously associated primarily with ankylosaurs. This tail club, estimated to be about 175 million years old, was likely used for intraspecific combat or interspecific defence. The specimens are housed at the GSI Southern Region headquarters in Hyderabad.
I. Discovery and Excavation: Unearthing a Jurassic Giant
The GSI excavation (1974–1982). The Palaeontology Division of the Geological Survey of India conducted extensive fieldwork in the Yamanapalli region of the Pranahita-Godavari Valley over eight years. The site, located near the village of Yamanapalli (also known as Vemanapalli) in what is now Mancherial District, yielded an extraordinary collection of fossils.
840 skeletal fragments, 12 individuals. The excavation uncovered 840 skeletal parts belonging to at least 12 individual dinosaurs of the same species. The fossils were found in an area of approximately 2,400 square metres. The greater part of the skeleton is known, though the skull is missing except for two teeth. The skull of the mounted skeleton at the Birla Science Centre was actually a gift from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.
II. The Dinosaur: Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis
Taxonomy and Naming
Genus: Kotasaurus (meaning "Kota Formation lizard")
Species: yamanpalliensis (named after Yamanapalli village)
Described by: P.M. Yadagiri in 1988
Type specimen: 21/SR/PAL
Classification: Sauropoda – one of the earliest-known sauropods
Age: Early Jurassic (Sinemurian–Pliensbachian), approximately 199.3 to 182.7 million years ago
Physical Characteristics
- Length: 14 metres (approximately 46 feet)
- Height: Over 5 metres (16 feet)
- Tail club: Possessed a bony tail club, used for combat or defence
- Habitat: Shared its ecosystem with the related sauropod Barapasaurus
- Like other sauropods, it was a herbivorous dinosaur with a long neck and tail
III. The Mounted Skeleton at Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad
A 160-million-year-old exhibit. The composite skeleton of Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis is installed at the Birla Science Centre (Dinosaurium) in Hyderabad. The skeleton was assembled and mounted by the Geological Survey of India and installed at the museum in 2002.
85% original bones. Approximately 85 per cent of the mounted structure is made of original fossil bones, with the remainder consisting of synthetic material. A few ribs and some teeth were replicated synthetically, and it took almost two years for the GSI to assemble and mount the skeleton. The fossil is placed on a laterite stone base imported from Bidar, Karnataka.
Additional specimens. The Dinosaurium also features other fossil specimens, including fish, plant remains, invertebrates from the Early Jurassic age, a tree trunk, a giant ammonite, a dinosaur egg, and various limb bones. An articulated skeleton of a Rhynchosaur with skull and other bone elements, discovered in the Triassic rocks of the P-G Valley, is also on display.
IV. The Pranahita-Godavari Valley: A Fossil Treasure Trove
Geological Significance
The Pranahita-Godavari Valley is one of India's most significant fossil-bearing regions. The valley contains sedimentary rock formations spanning the Permian, Triassic, and Jurassic periods, preserving a rich record of ancient life. The Kota Formation, where Kotasaurus was found, is particularly known for its vertebrate fossils.
Fossils have been found within an eight-kilometre radius of the Pranhita river valley. The site is part of the larger Kataram-Mahadevpur-Yamanapalli fossil zone.
Diverse Fossil Record
Apart from dinosaurs, the valley has yielded fossils of:
- Other reptiles – including the Rhynchosaur
- Fish – including Lonchidion indicus
- Micromammals
- Plant fossils and charaphytes
- Dinosaur eggs – partially buried in loose sand and mud
- Tree fossils – coniferous species
- Tortoise fossils and animal footprints
V. Related Discoveries in the Region
VI. Neglect and the Call for a Fossil Park
A site of immense potential, left unattended. Despite the extraordinary palaeontological wealth of the Pranahita-Godavari Valley, the Telangana government has not developed a dedicated fossil park at the Kataram-Mahadevpur-Yamanapalli site. In contrast, a fossil eco-park is being developed in Sironcha, Maharashtra, on the opposite side of the same valley.
No further excavation since GSI's work. According to a 2016 report, no further excavation work had been taken up in the preceding three to four years, despite the valley's "huge potential". Scientists have called for the establishment of a palaeo park where fossils can be displayed to the public and protected from degradation.
Threats to the fossils. The fossils are exposed to the elements and are darkening or blackening, possibly due to fungal or biotic attack. Flooding in the recent past has exposed fossils, including dinosaur eggs, which were partially buried in loose sand and mud – suggesting they had washed away from their original nests. Local tribes have also been reported to destroy fossils, believing they contain gold.
Chronology of the Yamanapalli Dinosaur Discovery
- 1974–1982: Geological Survey of India conducts excavation in Yamanapalli, recovering 840 skeletal fragments from 12 individuals.
- 1987: Jurassic fossil wood discovered in Yamanapalli region.
- 1988: P.M. Yadagiri formally names and describes Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis.
- 2000: Birla Science Centre (Dinosaurium) opens, featuring the mounted Kotasaurus skeleton.
- 2002: GSI mounts and installs the composite skeleton at the Birla Science Centre.
- 2016: Deccan Chronicle reports on the neglect of the site and calls for a fossil park.
- 2019: Further fossils of bone fragments, tortoise, and animal footprints discovered at Yamanapalli.
- 2024: Research reveals that Kotasaurus possessed a bony tail club.
- 2025: New dinosaur species Maleriraptor kuttyi identified from the Pranahita-Godavari Valley.
How to See the Kotasaurus Fossil
Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad
Location: Birla Planetarium & Science Museum, Adarsh Nagar, Hyderabad
Timings: 10:30 AM – 8:00 PM (all days)
Entry: Ticketed entry; museum and planetarium combo tickets available
The mounted skeleton of Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis is the centrepiece of the Dinosaurium. The museum also features other fossil specimens, including fish, plant remains, and a dinosaur egg.
GSI Museum, Bandlaguda, Hyderabad
Location: Geological Survey of India, Southern Region, Bandlaguda, Hyderabad
Timings: By appointment / limited public access
The GSI Southern Region headquarters houses additional fossil specimens from the Yamanapalli excavation, including the type specimens of Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis and other fossils from the Pranahita-Godavari Valley.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis?
It is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic period, discovered in the Kota Formation of Telangana. It is one of the earliest-known sauropods.
How big was it?
It measured 14 metres in length and over 5 metres in height.
Where was it found?
It was discovered near Yamanapalli (also known as Vemanapalli) village in Mancherial District, Telangana, in the Pranahita-Godavari Valley.
How many fossils were found?
840 skeletal fragments from at least 12 individual dinosaurs were recovered.
Where can I see the fossil?
The mounted composite skeleton is on display at the Birla Science Centre (Dinosaurium) in Hyderabad.
Why is there no fossil park at Yamanapalli?
Despite the site's immense palaeontological potential, the Telangana government has not developed a fossil park, leading to neglect of the site.
- Deccan Chronicle (28 October 2016). "Negligent Telangana government has no plans for a fossil park".
- Telangana Today (19 January 2023). "Travel back into the Jurassic era".
- Wikipedia. "Kotasaurus".
- Times of India (6 June 2019). "Jurassic discovery: Fossils found at Yamanapalli site in Telangana".
- New Indian Express (18 May 2025). "220 million-year-old fossils found in Telangana give fresh insights into dinosaur evolution".
- Yadagiri, P.M. (1988). "A new sauropod Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis from Lower Jurassic Kota Formation of India". Records of the Geological Survey of India, 11:102-127.
- Mindat.org. "Yamanpalli bonebed, Kota".
- Geological Survey of India (GSI) – Palaeontology Division field reports (1974–1982).