Amargasaurus cazaui
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Amargasaurus
"Lizard from La Amarga Argentina"
Describer Salgado & Bonaparte, 1991
Also Known As --
Type of Species cazaui
Order Saurischia
SubOrder Sauropoda
InfraOrder --
Micro-Order --
Family Diplodocidae
Size 33 feet (10 meters) long
Period Early Cretaceous, 131-125 million years ago
Fossilsite Argentina
Diet Herbivore
Amargasaurus cazaui was a sauropod from the early Cretaceous period. It had 2 rows of spines growing out along its backbone along its neck, body, and tail. These spines may have had a covering of skin forming a sail. If so, this sail might have been a thermo regulatory structure, used to absorb and release heat, for mating and dominance rituals, and/or for making it look much larger than it was to predators. Amargasaurus was a quadrupedal, had a small head, a long neck and a very long tail.
Its front legs were shorter than its back legs, and all the legs had elephant-like, five-toed feet. One toe on each foot had a thumb claw, probably for protection. Amargasaurus may have traveled in herds and may have migrated when they depleted their local food supply, like other diplodocids.
Amargasaurus cazaui Paleo Gallery
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