Chebsaurus

Say it like this: “cheb-SOR-us”

Chebsaurus algeriensis

Chebsaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic. Bones have been found in DZ.

Quiz me on Chebsaurus

When: Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic (Callovian · Oxfordian · Kimmeridgian) · roughly 165.3 to 149.2 million years ago
Named in: 2005 · Mahammed, F.; Läng, É.; Mami, L.; Mekahli, L.; Benhamou, M.; Bouterfa, B.; Kacemi, A.; Chérief, S. A.; Chaouati, H.; Taquet, P.
Hip height: 2 m · 7 ft
Length: 8–9 m · 26–30 ft
Weight: 1.5 tonnes
Found in: DZ · Aïssa
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Eusauropoda

The story in short

Chebsaurus was formally named in 2005 by F. Mahammed and colleagues. The name means “young man.”

It lived in the Middle Jurassic · Late Jurassic (Callovian · Oxfordian · Kimmeridgian), roughly 165.3 to 149.2 million years ago. Finds come from DZ, including the Aïssa Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Chebsaurus at a length near 8–9 m, hips about 2 m high, and a body mass around 1.5 tonnes.

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

Close relatives

Algoasaurus

Algoasaurus bauri

Early Cretaceous (Berriasian · Valanginian) · roughly 143.1 to 132.6 million years ago

Atlasaurus

Atlasaurus imelakei

Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) · roughly 168.2 to 165.3 million years ago

Bagualia

Bagualia alba

Early Jurassic (Toarcian) · roughly 184.2 to 174.7 million years ago