Tangvayosaurus

Say it like this: “tahng-VIE-o-SAWR-us”

Tangvayosaurus hoffeti

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

Quiz me on Tangvayosaurus

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian · Albian) · roughly 121.4 to 100.5 million years ago
Named in: 1999 · Allain, R.; Taquet, P.; Battail, B.; Dejax, J.; Richir, P.; Véran, M.; Limon-Duparcmeur, F.; Vacant, R.; Mateus, O.; Sayarath, P.; Khenthavong, B.; Phouyavong, S.
Hip height: 3.5 m · 11 ft
Length: 15 m · 49 ft
Weight: 17 tonnes
Found in: Laos · Grès supérieurs
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Euhelopodidae

The story in short

The genus Tangvayosaurus dates to 1999, the year R. Allain and colleagues described it. The name means “tang Vay lizard.”

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

Published estimates put Tangvayosaurus at a length near 15 m, hips about 3.5 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