Spinophorosaurus

Say it like this: “SPIEN-o-for-o-SOR-us”

Spinophorosaurus nigerensis

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

Quiz me on Spinophorosaurus

When: Middle Jurassic (Bajocian · Bathonian) · roughly 170.9 to 165.3 million years ago
Named in: 2009 · Remes, K.; Ortega, F.; Fierro, I.; Joger, U.; Kosma, R.; Marín Ferrer, J. M.; Ide, O. A.; Maga, A.
Hip height: 3.5 m · 11 ft
Length: 11–14 m · 36–46 ft
Weight: 7 tonnes
Found in: Niger
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Eusauropoda

The story in short

Spinophorosaurus was formally named in 2009 by K. Remes and colleagues.

Fossils referred to Spinophorosaurus date to the Middle Jurassic (Bajocian · Bathonian), roughly 170.9 to 165.3 million years ago. Finds come from Niger. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Spinophorosaurus at a length near 11–14 m, hips about 3.5 m high, and a body mass around 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