Jobaria

In Depth        It could be said that Jobaria is a sauropod that doesn’t know what it is due to a mix of different traits.‭ ‬The vertebrae of Jobaria are very simple in form which has led to some suggestion that Jobaria is a primitive sauropod.‭ ‬Study of other areas however has led to speculation that … Read more

Barapasaurus

In Depth        Barapasaurus was an Early Jurassic sauropod that seems to be caught in between other sauropod forms.‭ ‬The vertebrae of Barapasaurus are solid which has seen this sauropod placed within the Cetiosauridae,‭ ‬however the narrow sacrum is more characteristic of the Vulcanodontidae sauropods.‭ ‬Palaeontologists are split as to which placement is the most valid … Read more

Patagosaurus

In Depth        Patagosaurus is one of the earliest sauropods known to have roamed South America,‭ ‬however it‭’‬s usually the Cretaceous genera such as Amargasaurus,‭ ‬Saltasaurus and Argentinosaurus that usually get all of the attention.‭ ‬At eighteen meters long Patagosaurus was big for‭ ‬a mid-Jurassic era sauropod,‭ ‬yet it was not as advanced as the sauropods … Read more

Isanosaurus

In Depth        Isanosaurus is recognised as being one of the first sauropods to appear on the planet,‭ ‬replacing the previous earliest sauropod title holder Vulcanodon.‭ ‬It should be mentioned here that at the time Vulcanodon was thought to have lived in the early Hettangian stage of the Jurassic,‭ ‬just after the Triassic/Jurassic boundary,‭ ‬though a‭ … Read more

Yizhousaurus

In Depth        Yizhousaurus is a genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived in Asia during the early Jurassic,‭ ‬and is a rare example of such a dinosaur where the skull is known,‭ ‬and in an almost perfect state.‭ Further Reading -‭ ‬A new sauropodiform dinosaur with a‭ ‘‬sauropodan‭’ ‬skull from the Lower Jurassic Lufeng Formation of … Read more

Ruyangosaurus

In Depth        Not many fossilised bones of this dinosaur are known,‭ ‬but those that are‭ ‬are‭ ‬simply huge.‭ ‬Comparing these bones to the more complete remains of other genera has resulted in very rough estimates of around thirty meters long,‭ ‬raising the probability that Ruyangosaurus was one of the largest animals to ever walk the … Read more

Aragosaurus

In Depth        An early Cretaceous sauropod from Spain,‭ ‬Aragosaurus is considered to have been similar to the North American Camarasaurus in form.‭ ‬This means that the head would have been carried up high to enable Aragosaurus to browse upon the upper branches of trees,‭ ‬which were simply beyond the reach of low browsing dinosaurs.‭ ‬This … Read more

Lessemsaurus

In Depth        Lessemsaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur named in honour of the Don Lessem,‭ ‬an author noted for his work writing popular science books.‭ ‬Although Lessemsaurus is so far only based upon the description of vertebrae.‭ ‬These vertebrae are noted for having tall neural spines,‭ ‬something which may hint at a fleshy or … Read more

Antetonitrus

In Depth        The holotype fossils of Antetonitrus were originally found in‭ ‬1981,‭ ‬but were thought to be further fossils of the genus Euskelosaurus.‭ ‬It was not until over two decades later that they would be correctly described as a distinct genus.‭ ‬Antetonitrus is a very interesting sauropod dinosaur,‭ ‬as while it was quadrupedal‭ (‬walked on … Read more

Gigantosaurus

In Depth        Gigantosaurus is a little known and currently dubious genus of sauropod dinosaur.‭ ‬The fossils that are assigned to the genus could come from a sauropod,‭ ‬but they were all found disarticulated and separately,‭ ‬raising the notion that they could be from more than one individual.‭ ‬The state of preservation also means that it … Read more