Tangvayosaurus

Tangvayosaurus was about 15 metres (49 feet) long, as long as a big bus.1

Its fossils were found in the Grès supérieurs Formation, which is made of sandstone and mudstone from an ancient river or lake.1

The first bones of Tangvayosaurus were discovered in 1999 by a team of scientists led by Ronan Allain.1

The species name, Tangvayosaurus hoffeti, honors French paleontologist Joshua Hoffet, who had earlier found similar bones in the same area.1

Tangvayosaurus is closely related to another sauropod from Thailand called Phuwiangosaurus.1

Scientists are not sure exactly where Tangvayosaurus fits in the sauropod family tree. Some think it was a titanosaur, while others place it in a group called Euhelopodidae.1