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Antarctosaurus

Say it: an-TARK-toh-SORE-us

Name means: “southern lizard”1

Ate: PlantsLong-necksLate Cretaceous

Antarctosaurus was a giant, long-necked plant-eater that lived in South America during the Late Cretaceous. It was a titanosaur, one of the biggest land animals ever, with a small head and a huge body.1 2

Lived

90 to 66 million years ago3

Late Cretaceous

Fossils found in

Argentina, Brazil, India, and Uruguay3 1

Food

Plants1 2

Length

17 to 18 m1 2

estimate for the type species

Weight

34 tonnes1

When did it live?

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

252 million years ago20114566, the asteroid

How big was it?

as long as 4 cars parked in a rowas long as 100 bananas end to endas heavy as 6 elephantsas heavy as 6800 watermelons

How big was Antarctosaurus compared to YOU?

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cool stuff

Fun facts

The name Antarctosaurus does not mean it lived in Antarctica. It comes from Greek words meaning 'opposite of north' and 'lizard', because it was found in the southern part of the world.1

One species, Antarctosaurus giganteus, had thigh bones (femurs) that were 2.35 metres (7.7 feet) long. That is taller than most humans!1

Scientists are not sure if all the bones of Antarctosaurus wichmannianus belong to the same animal. Some might be from different dinosaurs mixed together.1

The lower jaw of Antarctosaurus was squared off at the front, like a shovel. This helped it eat plants close to the ground or in water.1

Antarctosaurus lived about 84 to 78 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous Period.2

Some fossils once called Antarctosaurus septentrionalis from India were later given their own name: Jainosaurus.1

AI-made picture of Antarctosaurus — An AI-made picture of how Antarctosaurus might have looked, made by a computer from what scientists know. It is a guess: the real animal may have looked different, and nobody knows its true colours.

you asked

Most asked questions about Antarctosaurus

?How big was Antarctosaurus?

The type species A. wichmannianus was about 17 metres (56 ft) long. The much larger A. giganteus may have reached 30 metres (98 ft) or more, but its size is hard to know because only a few bones have been found.1 2

?What did Antarctosaurus eat?

It was a herbivore, meaning it ate plants. Its squared-off lower jaw helped it scoop up low-growing plants or floating water plants.1 2

?Did Antarctosaurus live in Antarctica?

No. Despite its name, it was found in Argentina, South America. The name means 'southern lizard' because it lived in the southern part of the world.1

?How much did Antarctosaurus weigh?

Estimates vary a lot. A. wichmannianus may have weighed about 34 metric tons (37 short tons). A. giganteus might have weighed between 45 and 100 metric tons, but scientists are not sure because so few bones exist.1

?When did Antarctosaurus live?

It lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 84 to 78 million years ago.2

?Was Antarctosaurus bigger than T. rex?

Yes, it was much bigger. A. wichmannianus was about 17 metres (56 ft) long, while T. rex was only about 12 metres (40 ft) long. A. giganteus was even larger.1

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Myth buster

Myth: Antarctosaurus lived in Antarctica.

Truth: Antarctosaurus was named for being a 'southern lizard', but its fossils have been found in South America and India, not Antarctica.1

For dino experts

Scientific name: Antarctosaurus
Named by: Huene 19273
Group: Long-necks
Family / clade: Lithostrotia3
Classification: Sauropodomorpha > Sauropoda > Titanosauria > Macronaria3
Age of the rocks: 90 to 66 million years (Coniacian / Maastrichtian)3
Rock formations: Lameta, Plottier, Anacleto3
Countries: India, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay3
Fossil records: 8 in the Paleobiology Database3
Discovery: The first fossils of Antarctosaurus were found in Argentina in 1912 by geologist Ricardo Wichmann. German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene named and described them in 1929.1
Still debated: Scientists still debate whether all the bones of the type species, Antarctosaurus wichmannianus, belong to the same dinosaur or are a mix of different species.1

Where the facts come from

Antarctosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
Antarctosaurus | Natural History Museum (nhm.ac.uk)
Antarctosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.

Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are dino fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

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