Puertasaurus

Name Origin

Named in honor of its discoverers, Pablo Puerta and Santiago Reuil.

Family

Titanosauridae

Classification

Reptilia, Saurischia, Sauropodomorpha

Habitat (Discovery Location)

Argentina

Period

Approximately 76 to 70 million years ago (Late Cretaceous)

Length

Approximately 27 to 30 meters

Weight

Approximately 50 to 70 tons

Diet

Herbivore (Plant-eater)

Description

Puertasaurus was a gigantic sauropodomorph belonging to the Titanosauridae family, which lived in South America (Argentina) during the Late Cretaceous period (approximately 76 to 70 million years ago).
Its size is said to rival that of Argentinosaurus, and it is known as one of the largest dinosaurs on Earth.

Discovery, Naming, and the Largest Dorsal Vertebra in History

The fossil of Puertasaurus was discovered in 2001 in Patagonia, Argentina.
It was formally named Puertasaurus reuii in 2005, in honor of its discoverers, Pablo Puerta and Santiago Reuil.

The fossils found to date are extremely fragmentary, consisting of only one cervical vertebra (neck bone), one dorsal vertebra (backbone), and two caudal vertebrae (tail bones)—only about 1.6% of its entire body.

However, the size of these fragmented bones is extraordinary.
The discovered dorsal vertebra reaches a height of 1.1m and a width of 1.7m, making it the largest of any dinosaur named to date.
From this massive vertebra, researchers estimated that it was an exceptionally large dinosaur, around 35 to 40m long.

The Size Debate: A Downward Revision of Its Gigantic Size

At the time of its discovery, Puertasaurus was thought to have reached a length of 35-40m and a weight of 80-100 tons.
However, recent studies have scaled this down, and the prevailing theory is that it was closer to 27-30m long and 50-70 tons.
Nevertheless, it remains one of the largest dinosaurs in history.

Ecology and Diversity

Based on the location where the fossil was found, it is presumed that Puertasaurus lived in forested areas.

It is presumed to have lived in forested areas.

The joints of its very long neck are said to have been quite flexible compared to its close relatives, allowing for a free range of motion.

In the Cerro Fortaleza Formation, where the fossil was discovered, another large titanosaur, Dreadnoughtus, also coexisted.
This suggests just how rich in large sauropodomorph diversity Argentina was at the end of the Cretaceous period.