Malarguesaurus

Say it like this: “muh-LAR-gway-SAWR-us”

Malarguesaurus florenciae

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

Quiz me on Malarguesaurus

When: Late Cretaceous (Coniacian) · roughly 89.8 to 85.7 million years ago
Named in: 2009 · González Riga, B. J.; Previtera, E.; Pirrone, C. A.
Hip height: 3.5 m · 11 ft
Length: 20 m · 66 ft
Weight: 16 tonnes
Found in: Argentina · Los Bastos
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Somphospondyli

The story in short

Malarguesaurus was formally named in 2009 by B. J. González Riga and colleagues. The name means “malargüe lizard.”

It lived in the Late Cretaceous (Coniacian), roughly 89.8 to 85.7 million years ago. Finds come from Argentina, including the Los Bastos Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Malarguesaurus at a length near 20 m, hips about 3.5 m high, and a body mass around 16 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