Tazoudasaurus
Tazoudasaurus was an early, medium-sized sauropod that lived in what is now Morocco about 183 million years ago. It had a long neck and tail, walked on four legs, and ate plants. Several skeletons have been found together, suggesting these dinosaurs may have lived in herds.13
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Fun facts
Tazoudasaurus is one of the most complete early sauropods ever found. Scientists have discovered bones from at least ten different individuals, including both adults and juveniles.1
Its neck was flexible, with long vertebrae that lacked true pleurocoels (air pockets). In contrast, its back and tail vertebrae were more rigid.1
Tazoudasaurus lived alongside the early theropod Berberosaurus, a meat-eating dinosaur. Their fossils were found together in the same bone bed.12
The name Tazoudasaurus comes from the village of Tazouda near where the fossils were discovered. The species name naimi means 'slender' in the Berber language.1
Tazoudasaurus had a primitive lower jaw that was not U-shaped like in later sauropods. Its teeth had small bumps called denticles, similar to those of earlier prosauropods.1
The environment where Tazoudasaurus lived was a river floodplain with sand-filled channels and abundant ferns, cycads, and conifers. The climate had both wet and dry seasons.1
Most asked questions about Tazoudasaurus
?How big was Tazoudasaurus?
Tazoudasaurus was a small sauropod, about 11 to 14 metres (36 to 46 feet) long. It weighed around 7 to 8 tonnes.1
?What did Tazoudasaurus eat?
Tazoudasaurus ate plants. Its teeth had small bumps called denticles and V-shaped wear marks, which show it chewed its food.1
?Did Tazoudasaurus live in herds?
Yes, scientists think Tazoudasaurus lived in herds. Several skeletons of adults, juveniles and subadults were found together, suggesting gregarious behaviour.12
?When did Tazoudasaurus live?
Tazoudasaurus lived during the late Early Jurassic, about 183 to 174 million years ago. Its fossils come from the Toarcian stage of the Azilal Formation in Morocco.1
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For dino experts
- Scientific name
- Tazoudasaurus
- Named by
- Allain et al. 20043
- Group
- Long-necks
- Family / clade
- Gravisauria3
- Classification
- Sauropodomorpha > Sauropoda3
- Age of the rocks
- 193 to 175 million years (Pliensbachian / Toarcian)3
- Countries
- Morocco3
- Fossil records
- 2 in the Paleobiology Database3
- Discovery
- Tazoudasaurus was named in 2004 by Ronan Allain and colleagues. The fossils were found in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, in a series of red rock layers called the Toundoute Continental Series.13
- Still debated
- Scientists are not sure exactly how long Tazoudasaurus could grow. Earlier estimates gave a length of about 10 to 11 metres, but more recent ones suggest up to 13 to 14 metres.1
Where the facts come from
- Tazoudasaurus (en.wikipedia.org)
- Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Tazoudasaurus naimi (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Early Jurassic of Morocco (sciencepress.mnhn.fr)
- Tazoudasaurus in The Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0): age, places, rock formations, classification.
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