Nebulasaurus

Say it like this: “NEB-yuh-luh-SOR-us”

Nebulasaurus taito

Nebulasaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Middle Jurassic. Bones have been found in China.

Quiz me on Nebulasaurus

When: Middle Jurassic (Aalenian · Bajocian) · roughly 174.7 to 168.2 million years ago
Named in: 2013 · Xing, L.
Hip height: 1.9 m · 6 ft
Length: 8 m · 26 ft
Weight: 1.7 tonnes
Found in: China · Zhanghe
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Eusauropoda

The story in short

In 2013, L. Xing published the name Nebulasaurus. The name means “southern misty cloudy province.”

Fossils referred to Nebulasaurus date to the Middle Jurassic (Aalenian · Bajocian), roughly 174.7 to 168.2 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Zhanghe Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Nebulasaurus at a length near 8 m, hips about 1.9 m high, and a body mass around 1.7 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