Ruyangosaurus

Say it like this: “roo-YAHNG-oh-SAWR-us”

Ruyangosaurus giganteus

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

Quiz me on Ruyangosaurus

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 2009 · Lü, J. C.; Xu, L.; Jia, S. H.; Zhang, X. L.; Zhang, J. M.; Yang, L. L.; You, H. L.; Ji, Q.
Hip height: 4 m · 13 ft
Length: 24.8–35 m · 81–115 ft
Weight: 34–50 tonnes
Found in: China · Haoling
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Somphospondyli

The story in short

The genus Ruyangosaurus dates to 2009, the year J. C. Lü and colleagues described it. The name honors a person tied to the fossil or its study.

Fossils referred to Ruyangosaurus date to the Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian), roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago. Finds come from China, including the Haoling Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Ruyangosaurus at a length near 24.8–35 m, hips about 4 m high, and a body mass around 34–50 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