How It Works-Book Of Dinosaurs

Argentinosaurus

A rgentinosaurus is the largest-know n dinosaur to have ever

lived, based on fossilised evidence. Weighing in at over 100

tons and measuring as much as 45 metres (148 feet) in length,

this herbivore was w ider and longer than a basketball court

and was as heav y as a f uel-less jumbo jet.

The vertebrae of the A rgentinosaurus were ver y broad, w ith

small peg-and-socket articulations above the spinal cord that

kept the backbones of these animals sturdy and rigid. In

addition, the ribs of the A rgentinosaurus were hollow,

possibly allowing for greater manoeuvrability. Although the

skull, neck and tail of an Argentinonsaurus have never been

found, measurements made from a shinbone can estimate

the size of the various features of this colossal creature. Each

hind limb of the A rgentinosaurus would have been about 4.5

metres (15 feet) long.

The other contenders

There is some contention among paleontologists as to what the largest dinosaur of all time was.

Currently the offi cial record-holder is the 100-tonne behemoth that is Argentinosaurus. However,

there have been several other claims to the throne over the years. In the late-19th Centur y, a

paleontologist known as Edward Cope claimed to have found part of a vertebra that suggested he

had unearthed a sauropod dinosaur (known as ‘amphicoelias’) measuring a humongous 62m

(203ft). Mysteriously, however, this bone ‘disappeared’ shortly afterwards, leading some to

believe he had falsifi ed the claim to get one over on his chief paleontological rival at the time,

Othniel Marsh. It will be interesting to see if any more evidence of this giant creature is

unearthed in future. Another contender that little is known about is Bruhathkayosaurus, which

may possibly be the heaviest dinosaur ever discovered, coming in at up to a gigantic 220 tonnes.

Spinosaurus

The Spinosaurus is often overlooked as the largest

carnivorous dinosaur in favour of its more famous

cousin, the Ty rannosaurus rex. However, the

Spinosaurus would have dwarfed the popular mov ie

star, measuring 16m (52ft) in length compared to 12m

(39ft) for a T-rex. That being said, the characteristic

features of the Spinosaurus – namely its fi n-like spinal

protrusion – make it one of the most recognisable

theropods. In the late-Cretaceous period, this 12-tonne

creature would have been fairly common, with its

sail-like spine adding to a fearsome display and

possibly helping to regulate its body temperature.

Tail

The spinosaur’s

tail was incredibly

strong, with huge

muscles at its base

allowing it to be

potentially used

as a weapon

© SPL

© SPL

Teeth

Within its crocodile-like snout, an

unusual feature for a theropod, were

rows of conical teeth for hunting

and killing fish and average-sized

land-based dinosaurs

Feet

At the base of the strong hind legs of the

Spinosaur were three long, for ward-facing claws

Sail

Tall bony spines growing

upwards from the

vertebrae of the Spinosaur

supported its characteristic

sail-like structure

Spinosaurus

Weight: 12 tonnes

Length: 16m (52ft)

Date:

Late Cretaceous (99.6-65.6 Ma)

Group: Theropods

Bigger than:

A double-decker bus

The statistics...