Argyrosaurus
Argyrosaurus was a huge, long-necked plant-eater that lived in what is now Argentina. It was a titanosaur, a group of sauropods known for their enormous size. This dinosaur is known from a single left forelimb, but that arm was already huge!13
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Fun facts
The only sure fossil of Argyrosaurus is a huge left forelimb, including the upper arm bone, two lower arm bones, and all five hand bones.1
When the forelimb was found, the rest of the skeleton was there too, but it was completely destroyed during digging.1
Many other fossils were later thought to belong to Argyrosaurus, but scientists now think most of them are from different titanosaurs.1
One of those misidentified fossils was even given its own new name: Elaltitan lilloi.2
Argyrosaurus lived about 70 million years ago, near the very end of the Age of Dinosaurs.1
The name Argyrosaurus means 'silver lizard' because it was found in Argentina, which means 'silver land'.1
Most asked questions about Argyrosaurus
?How big was Argyrosaurus?
Estimates vary a lot. One estimate says about 17 metres long and 12 tonnes, while another says up to 28 metres and about 43.5 to 50.8 tonnes. A more recent estimate is 21 metres and 26 tonnes.1
?What did Argyrosaurus eat?
It was a plant-eater, like other sauropods. Its teeth and jaws are not known, but its relatives were herbivores, so it likely ate ferns, conifers, and other plants.1
?When did Argyrosaurus live?
It lived about 70 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous Period, near the very end of the Age of Dinosaurs.1
?Why is Argyrosaurus called 'silver lizard'?
The name means 'silver lizard' because it was found in Argentina, which literally means 'silver land'.1
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Myth buster
Myth: Many fossils from Argentina and Uruguay were once called Argyrosaurus.
Truth: Scientists now think only the original forelimb definitely belongs to Argyrosaurus. The other fossils are probably different dinosaurs.1
For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Argyrosaurus
- Named by
- Lydekker 18933
- Group
- Long-necks
- Family / clade
- Titanosauria3
- Classification
- Sauropodomorpha > Sauropoda > Titanosauria > Macronaria3
- Age of the rocks
- 84 to 66 million years (Campanian / Maastrichtian)3
- Rock formations
- Lago Colhué Huapi3
- Countries
- Argentina3
- Fossil records
- 1 in the Paleobiology Database3
- Discovery
- Argyrosaurus was named by Richard Lydekker in 1893, based on a huge left forelimb found in Chubut Province, Argentina.13
- Still debated
- Scientists are not sure exactly how Argyrosaurus is related to other titanosaurs. It might have had wrist bones, which most titanosaurs lacked, suggesting it was a more primitive member of the group.2
Where the facts come from
- Argyrosaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
- A reappraisal of the Late Cretaceous Argentinean sauropod dinosaur Argyrosaurus superbus, with a description of a new titanosaur genus (ri.conicet.gov.ar)
- Argyrosaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
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