Patagotitan: Research Database
Titanosauria (Sauropoda) · Early Cretaceous (~100 MYA) · South America — Argentina (Patagonia)
Research Note: Patagotitan was a giant titanosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina — one of the largest known land animals and an important taxon for understanding titanosaur evolution in South America.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Filippi & Salgado 2019: Patagotitan and new data on titanosaur diversity from the Cretaceous of Argentina
Filippi & Salgado 2019 provide comprehensive data on Patagotitan from the Early Cretaceous of Patagonia, establishing it as a giant titanosaur and documenting titanosaur evolution in the Cretaceous of South America
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Confirmed | A | 2019 | Fossil | Filippi & Salgado, Cretaceous Research | Diversity |
|
García 2012: Patagotitan and additional data on titanosaur paleobiology
García 2012 provides additional data on Patagotitan and titanosaur paleobiology, further contextualising its significance within Titanosauria
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Confirmed | B | 2012 | Fossil | García, Cretaceous Research | Paleobiology |
Active Debate: Giant Titanosaur Evolution in the Cretaceous of South America
Whether Patagotitan is the largest dinosaur known is debated. The evolution of giant titanosaurs in the Cretaceous — and their diversification in South America — is key to understanding sauropod history.
What We Still Do Not Know About Patagotitan
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Diet: Herbivore.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
- Growth rate: Unknown.
In Depth
Patagotitan is a genus of titanosaurian dinosaur that lived in South America towards the end of the Early Cretaceous. Titanosaurs are often known by only a handful of fossils, but Patagotitan has proved to be an exception. At the time of writing Patagotitan is known from the partial post cranial remains of at least six individuals, and these include remains of vertebrae (neck, back and tail), ribs, shoulders, front and back limbs. The large size of these bones has led to some crediting Patagotitan as the largest dinosaur ever, but this statement is highly speculative. The original describers estimated Patagotitan to have grown to about thirty-seven meters, though others have suggested less, and others more. Future discoveries and studies may well lead to further revisions.
Further Reading
- A new giant titanosaur sheds light on body mass evolution among sauropod dinosaurs. - Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 284:20171219:1-10. - J. L. Carballido, D. Pol, A. Otero, I. A. Cerda, L. Salgado, A. C. Garrido, J. Ramezani, N. R. C�neo & J. M. Krause - 2017.
