Dreadnoughtus

Say it like this: “dred-NAW-tus”

Dreadnoughtus schrani

Dreadnoughtus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Late Cretaceous. Bones have been found in Argentina.

Quiz me on Dreadnoughtus

When: Late Cretaceous (Campanian) · roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago
Named in: 2014 · Lacovara, K. J.; Lamanna, M. C.; Ibiricu, L. M.; Poole, J. C.; Schroeter, E. R.; Ullmann, P. V.; Voegele, K. K.; Boles, Z. M.; Carter, A. M.; Fowler, E. K.; Egerton, V. M.; Moyer, A. E.; Coughenour, C. L.; Schein, J. P.; Harris, J. D.; Martínez, R. D.; Novas, F. E.
Hip height: 4 m · 13 ft
Length: 26 m · 85 ft
Weight: 22.1–74 tonnes
Found in: Argentina · Cerro Fortaleza
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Lithostrotia

The story in short

In 2014, K. J. Lacovara and colleagues published the name Dreadnoughtus. The name means “fears nothing.”

It lived in the Late Cretaceous (Campanian), roughly 83.6 to 72.2 million years ago. Finds come from Argentina, including the Cerro Fortaleza Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Dreadnoughtus at a length near 26 m, hips about 4 m high, and a body mass around 22.1–74 tonnes.

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

Close relatives

Atacamatitan

Atacamatitan chilensis

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Maastrichtian) · roughly 100.5 to 66 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