Patagotitan

Phylogeny: Dinosauria > Saurischia > Sauropodomorpha > Plateosauria > Massopoda > Sauropodiformes > Sauropoda > Gravisauria > Eusauropoda > Neosauropoda > Macronaria > Titanosauriformes > Somphospondyli > Titanosauria > Lithostrotia > Colossosauria > Lognkosauria

Overview: In 2010, a farm laborer in Argentina’s Chubut Province came across the fossilized leg bone of a gigantic sauropod. After the find was reported, paleontologists descended on the site to search for more fossils, in the end securing a partial skeleton. Recovered bones included pieces of the pelvis, shoulder bones, some ribs and a few vertebrae from the neck, back and upper tail. This specimen would become the holotype for the genus Patagotitan, described in 2017. Patagotitan is named for the region of Patagonia, much of which stretches over southern Argentina. Its name is also a reference to the Titans of Greek myth – fitting considering its enormity. While size estimates have varied, Patagotitan was probably over thirty meters in length and weighed as much as sixty or so standard tons. This easily made it a contender for the largest land animal known to science. The animal’s sheer size alone would’ve warded off all but the largest of predators.

Two other specimens of Patagotitan have been described, mainly consisting of some limb bones or vertebrae. While known fossils are limited, Patagotitan is actually pretty well represented for a sauropod of its size. The related Argentinosaurus, which is one of its only rivals in terms of body size, is also known from fairly limited, but enormous fossils (the vertebrae and limb bones alone of these dinosaurs were as tall as or even taller than a human being). Both dinosaurs belong to a lineage called the Lognkosauria, which represents some of the most derived members of the Titanosauria. Futalognkosaurus, another gigantic sauropod, was also a member of this group (and its namesake). Patagotitan was undoubtedly a high-browser, feeding on tall conifers and other such trees. Being known from the Cerro Barcino Formation, it would’ve shared its environment with the enormous carcharodontosaurid Tyrannotitan, which probably preyed on its young or weaker individuals.