Neuquensaurus

Neuquensaurus was a relatively small, stocky titanosaur sauropod from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina, named after the Neuquen Province where its bones were unearthed. Reaching between nine and eleven metres in length and weighing three to five tonnes, it lived alongside other dwarf saltasaurines in a seasonal southern ecosystem. Originally described in the late nineteenth century as a species of Titanosaurus, subsequent re-evaluations demonstrated that it possessed a distinct anatomy, including wide-gauge limbs and heavy osteoderms. These oval-shaped bony plates, embedded across its back and flanks, offered passive protection against mid-sized predatory theropods. Neuquensaurus highlights the evolutionary tendency among saltasaurine sauropods toward compact, heavily fortified bodies compared to the sheer, unarmoured mass of their giant ancestors.

It was one of the earliest recognised sauropods verified to possess bony dermal armour scutes embedded in its hide.

Where and when

Neuquensaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 83.6 to 72.1 million years ago (Campanian age). Its remains come from Argentina, in the Anacleto Formation.

The numbers

Length 10 m (estimates run from 9 to 11 m). Mass about 3.9 t. Hip height about 2.2 m. That is 5.9 human-lengths, or 0.89 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from partial skeleton; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

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