Pukyongosaurus

Say it like this: “puk-YON-go-SOR-us”

Pukyongosaurus millenniumi

Pukyongosaurus ate plants and walked on four legs. It lived in the Early Cretaceous. Bones have been found in South Korea.

Quiz me on Pukyongosaurus

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 2001 · Dong, Z.; Paik, I. S.; Kim, H. J.
Hip height: 3 m · 10 ft
Length: 14 m · 46 ft
Weight: 8.5 tonnes
Found in: South Korea · Hasandong
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Somphospondyli

The story in short

Pukyongosaurus was formally named in 2001 by Z. Dong and colleagues. The name means “pukyong lizard.”

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian), roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago. Finds come from South Korea, including the Hasandong Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Pukyongosaurus at a length near 14 m, hips about 3 m high, and a body mass around 8.5 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