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long-neck giant
Atacamatitan
Say it like this: “at-uh-cam-uh-tie-tan”
Atacamatitan chilensis
Atacamatitan ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Late Cretaceous. Bones have been found in Chile.
- When
- Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Maastrichtian) · roughly 100.5 to 66 million years ago
- Named in
- 2011 · Kellner, A. W. A.; Rubilar-Rogers, D.; Vargas, A.; Suárez, M.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- 13 m · 43 ft
- Weight
- 8–16 tonnes
- Found in
- Chile · Tolar
- Food and walking
- Herbivore · Four legs
- Kind
- long-neck giant · Sauropod
- Family branch
- Lithostrotia
The story in short
Atacamatitan was formally named in 2011 by A. W. A. Kellner and colleagues. The name means “atacama Desert titan.”
Fossils referred to Atacamatitan date to the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Maastrichtian), roughly 100.5 to 66 million years ago. Finds come from Chile, including the Tolar Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.
Published estimates put Atacamatitan at a length near 13 m and a body mass around 8–16 tonnes.
On the family tree it sits in Lithostrotia, among the sauropod dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Dreadnoughtus
Dreadnoughtus schrani
Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Elaltitan
Elaltitan lilloi
Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) · roughly 89.8 to 85.7 million years ago
Epachthosaurus
Epachthosaurus sciuttoi
Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian · Turonian) · roughly 100.5 to 89.8 million years ago