Tapuiasaurus

Tapuiasaurus macedoi

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

When: Early Cretaceous (Aptian) · roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago
Named in: 2011 · Zaher, H.; Pol, D.; Carvalho, A. B.; Nascimento, P. M.; Riccomini, C.; Larson, P.; Juárez Valieri, R. D.; Pires-Domingues, R.; da Silva, N. J.; de Almeida Campos, D.
Hip height: 2.4 m · 8 ft
Length: 11 m · 36 ft
Weight: 3 tonnes
Found in: Brazil · Quiricó
Food and walking: Herbivore · Four legs
Kind: long-neck giant · Sauropod
Family branch: Saltasauroidea

The story in short

Tapuiasaurus was formally named in 2011 by H. Zaher and colleagues. The name honors a person tied to the fossil or its study.

It lived in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian), roughly 121.4 to 113.2 million years ago. Finds come from Brazil, including the Quiricó Formation. It was a herbivore and walked on four legs.

Published estimates put Tapuiasaurus at a length near 11 m, hips about 2.4 m high, and a body mass around 3 tonnes.

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

Close relatives

Arackar

Arackar licanantay

Late Cretaceous (Campanian · Maastrichtian) · roughly 83.6 to 66 million years ago

Bustingorrytitan

Bustingorrytitan shiva

Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) · roughly 100.5 to 93.9 million years ago

Isisaurus

Isisaurus colberti

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) · roughly 72.2 to 66 million years ago