Epachthosaurus

E-pak-foe-sore-us.
Published on

Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Epachthosaurus ‭(‬Heavy lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

E-pak-foe-sore-us.

Named By

J.‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Powell‭ ‬-‭ ‬1990.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Sauropodomorpha,‭ ‬Sauropoda,‭ ‬Titanosauria,‭ ‬Lithostrotia.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

E.‭ ‬sciuttoni‭

Size

Up to ten meters long.

Known locations

Argentina,‭ ‬Chubut Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Bajo Barreal Formation.

Time Period

Cenomaian/Turnonian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Remains of three individuals,‭ ‬one of which is represented by an articulated and almost complete partial post cranial specimen.

In Depth

       Epachthosaurus is a genus of basal titanosaur that lived in South America during the late Cretaceous.‭ ‬This is significant because much more advanced titanosaurs were living in South America at this time,‭ ‬which in itself suggests that Epachthosaurus was a late surviving form.‭ ‬One individual of Epachthosaurus‭ (‬UNPSJB-PV‭ ‬920‭) ‬is represented by an almost complete skeleton lacking only the skull and some of the vertebrae,‭ ‬and is recognised as one of the most complete individual titanosaurifom skeletons so far discovered.

       Epachthosaurus seems to have been quite small for its type of dinosaur,‭ ‬and living in South America during the late Cretaceous,‭ ‬it may have been preyed upon by abelisaurs,‭ ‬and perhaps even carcharodontosaurs.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Epachthosaurus sciuttoi‭ (‬gen.‭ ‬et sp.‭ ‬nov.‭)‬,‭ ‬un dinosaurio sauropodo del Cret�cico de Patagonia‭ (‬Provincia de Chubut,‭ ‬Argentina‭) [‬Epachthosaurus sciuttoi‭ (‬gen.‭ ‬et sp.‭ ‬nov.‭)‬,‭ ‬a sauropod dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Patagonia‭ (‬Chubut province,‭ ‬Argentina‭)]‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Actas del V Congreso Argentino de Paleontologia y Bioestratigrafia,‭ ‬Tucum�n,‭ ‬Argentina‭ ‬1:123-128‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Powell‭ ‬-‭ ‬1990.

Adopt A Species
prehistoric-wildlife new logo

Love this species?

Adopt it today!

(UPDATED!)

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT