Savannasaurus

Savannasaurus was a barrel-chested titanosaur described in 2016 from central Queensland, Australia. Found encased in hard ironstone concretions by David Elliott in 2005, its preparation took nearly a decade. Living during the mid-Cretaceous, Savannasaurus was approximately twelve to fifteen metres long and weighed roughly ten to twelve tonnes. What stood out most was its remarkably wide torso and pelvis, giving it a remarkably rotund appearance and an ultra-wide trackway posture. This broad gut cavity may have accommodated a massive digestive tract specialized for fermenting fibrous vegetation.

It possessed an extraordinarily wide pelvis and broad-gauge belly for its relatively modest length.

Where and when

Savannasaurus lived in the Late Cretaceous, from 96 to 93 million years ago (Cenomanian-Turonian age). Its remains come from Australia, in the Winton Formation.

The numbers

Length 14 m (estimates run from 12 to 15 m). Mass about 11 t. Hip height about 3 m. That is 7.9 human-lengths, or 1.21 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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