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long-neck giant · Doubtful name
Chiayusaurus
Say it like this: “JYAH-yoo-SOR-us”
Chiayusaurus lacustris
Chiayusaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in China.
- When
- Early Cretaceous (Barremian · Aptian) · roughly 125.8 to 113.2 million years ago
- Named in
- 1953 · Bohlin, B.
- Hip height
- Not established
- Length
- Not established
- Weight
- Not established
- Found in
- China
- Food and walking
- Herbivore · Four legs
- Kind
- long-neck giant · Sauropod
- Family branch
- Sauropoda
The story in short
In 1953, B. Bohlin published the name Chiayusaurus. The name means “jiayuguan lizard.”
Fossils referred to Chiayusaurus date to the Early Cretaceous (Barremian · Aptian), roughly 125.8 to 113.2 million years ago. Finds come from China. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.
The fossils of Chiayusaurus are too incomplete for a responsible length, hip height, or weight, so those fields are left blank on purpose.
On the family tree it sits in Sauropoda, among the sauropod dinosaurs.
Close relatives
Aepisaurus
Aepisaurus elephantinus
Early Cretaceous (Albian) · roughly 113.2 to 100.5 million years ago
Amygdalodon
Amygdalodon patagonicus
Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian · Toarcian) · roughly 192.9 to 174.7 million years ago
Archaeodontosaurus
Archaeodontosaurus descouensi
Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) · roughly 168.2 to 165.3 million years ago