Argentinosaurus

Argentinosaurus is widely considered one of the largest land animals ever to have existed, wandering the floodplains of South America during the mid-Cretaceous period roughly 95 million years ago. Known from fragmentary remains including gargantuan vertebrae, ribs, and a massive tibia, palaeontologists estimate it reached between 30 and 36 metres in total length. A single back vertebra is taller than an adult human. Given its vast bulk, Argentinosaurus was a slow-moving quadruped that relied on columnar legs to support a weight that may have exceeded 70 tonnes. As a high-browsing herbivore, it could strip vast quantities of foliage with minimal effort, easily deterring contemporary giant predators such as Mapusaurus.

5 metres tall, reflecting an animal approaching the physical limits of terrestrial vertebrate size.

Where and when

Argentinosaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 96 to 92 million years ago (Cenomanian-Turonian age). Its remains come from Argentina, in the Huincul Formation.

The numbers

Length 33 m (estimates run from 30 to 36 m). Mass about 71 t. Hip height about 7 m. That is 19.4 human-lengths, or 2.95 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from fragmentary remains; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, first ma, last ma, hip height.

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