Aeolosaurus

Aeolosaurus lived between about 83.6 and 66 million years ago, during the Campanian and Maastrichtian ages of the Late Cretaceous.2

It belonged to a group called Aeolosaurini, which is part of the larger titanosaur family. Its closest relatives include Baurutitan, Caieiria, Gondwanatitan, and Panamericansaurus.6

Scientists have named two species: Aeolosaurus rionegrinus, the type species, and Aeolosaurus colhuehuapensis.6

Aeolosaurus fossils have been found in rocks from the Turonian to Santonian ages in central Brazil, which is older than the Campanian-Maastrichtian fossils from Argentina. This shows the genus lived over a long time and a wide area.1

The discovery of Aeolosaurus in the Marilia Formation of Brazil shows that this dinosaur survived after a marine incursion flooded parts of northern Patagonia during the Campanian-Maastrichtian.1

Aeolosaurus had special bones in its tail: the prezygapophyses (joints) curved downward on the front tail vertebrae, and the haemal arches had double articular facets set in a concave surface. This unique combination helps scientists identify it.6