Phuwiangosaurus

Say it like this: “POO-WYAHNG-o-SAWR-us”

Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae

Phuwiangosaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in Thailand.

Quiz me on Phuwiangosaurus

When: Early Cretaceous (Valanginian · Hauterivian) · roughly 137.1 to 125.8 million years ago
Named in: 1994 · Martin, V.; Buffetaut, E.; Suteethorn, V.
Hip height: 4 m · 13 ft
Length: 15–20 m · 49–66 ft
Weight: 17 tonnes
Found in: Thailand · Sao Khua
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Euhelopodidae

The story in short

The genus Phuwiangosaurus dates to 1994, the year V. Martin and colleagues described it. The name means “phu Wiang lizard.”

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Valanginian · Hauterivian), roughly 137.1 to 125.8 million years ago. Finds come from Thailand, including the Sao Khua Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Phuwiangosaurus at a length near 15–20 m, hips about 4 m high, and a body mass around 17 tonnes.

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

Close relatives

Erketu

Erketu ellisoni

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Santonian) · roughly 100.5 to 83.6 million years ago

Euhelopus

Euhelopus zdanskyi

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

Gobititan

Gobititan shenzhouensis

Early Cretaceous (Albian) · roughly 113.2 to 100.5 million years ago