Brontomerus

Say it like this: “bron-toe-MEE-russ”

Brontomerus mcintoshi

Brontomerus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in the United States.

Quiz me on Brontomerus

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 2011 · Taylor, M. P.; Wedel, M. J.; Cifelli, R. L.
Hip height: 3 m · 10 ft
Length: 14 m · 46 ft
Weight: 6 tonnes
Found in: the United States · Cedar Mountain
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Somphospondyli

The story in short

In 2011, M. P. Taylor and colleagues published the name Brontomerus.

Fossils referred to Brontomerus date to the Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian), roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago. Finds come from the United States, including the Cedar Mountain Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Brontomerus at a length near 14 m, hips about 3 m high, and a body mass around 6 tonnes.

On the family tree it sits in Somphospondyli, among the sauropod dinosaurs.

Close relatives

Abdarainurus

Abdarainurus barsboldi

Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago

Angolatitan

Angolatitan adamastor

Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) · roughly 89.8 to 85.7 million years ago

Arkharavia

Arkharavia heterocoelica

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) · roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago