Pelorosaurus

Pelorosaurus occupies a historic position in vertebrate palaeontology. Discovered in Sussex, England, in the mid-nineteenth century, it was the first sauropod identified as an immense terrestrial herbivore rather than an aquatic reptile or amphibious carnivore. Gideon Mantell recognised that its enormous humerus contained internal cavities similar to those of terrestrial mammals. Known primarily from this large humerus and associated vertebrae from the Wealden group, Pelorosaurus was a robust quadruped estimated to measure between fifteen and twenty-four metres in length. Because the remains are quite fragmentary, many disparate Early Cretaceous sauropod bones across Europe were historically assigned to this genus, creating taxonomic confusion that researchers have only recently untangled. Today, it is regarded as a basal member of the Titanosauriformes.

It was the very first dinosaur recognised as a giant quadrupedal sauropod rather than a massive marine reptile.

Where and when

Pelorosaurus lived in the Early Cretaceous, from 140 to 133 million years ago (Valanginian-Hauterivian age). Its remains come from United Kingdom, in the Hastings Beds.

The numbers

Length 20 m (estimates run from 15 to 24 m). Mass about 19 t. Hip height about 4 m. That is 11.5 human-lengths, or 1.74 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.

Compare Pelorosaurus with a bus Place on the timeline