Tendaguria

Tendaguria is an enigmatic sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Tendaguru Formation of southeastern Tanzania. Described by José Bonaparte and colleagues in 2000, it is represented only by two dorsal vertebrae excavated in the early 1900s. These vertebrae display an unusual architecture: they are strongly opisthocoelous, possessing very low neural spines that are placed notably far anteriorly on the centrum. Such anatomy suggests distinct muscular configurations for its back and neck. While initially placed in its own family, phylogenetic studies have often aligned Tendaguria with turiasaurs or basal eusauropods. Estimating its full length is difficult given the sparse fossil record, but it was a large four-legged browser capable of feeding on tough Jurassic flora. It shared its coastal floodplain environment with famous sauropods like Giraffatitan, contributing to the exceptional sauropod biodiversity of prehistoric East Africa.

Its dorsal vertebrae have unusually low neural spines positioned farther forward than in almost any other sauropod.

Where and when

Tendaguria lived in the Late Jurassic, from 152.1 to 145 million years ago (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian age). Its remains come from Tanzania, in the Tendaguru Formation.

The numbers

Length 19 m (estimates run from 18 to 20 m). Mass about 15 t. Hip height about 4 m. That is 11.2 human-lengths, or 1.7 of a double-decker bus. These are estimates from fragmentary remains; fields marked estimated by the site are length, mass, hip height.

Compare Tendaguria with a bus Place on the timeline