Open Paleo

Ampelosaurus

Le Loeuff, 1995 AM-pi-loh-SOR-uhs /ˌæmpɪloʊˈsɔːrəs/

From Greek 'ampelos' meaning 'vine' (specifically grapevine) and 'sauros' meaning 'lizard'; meaning 'vine lizard'

83.6–66.0 million years ago Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Ampelosaurus is a titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now France. Its type species is A. atacis, named by Le Loeuff in 1995. Its remains were found in a level dating from 71.5 million years ago, representing the early Maastrichtian.

Diagnosis

  1. Teeth weakly spatulate (willow-leaf shape with thin rostral and caudal expansions, in contrast to cylindrical titanosaur teeth)
  2. Distal extremity of the neural spine of the dorsal vertebrae widened laterally
  3. Neural arch of the dorsal vertebrae strongly inclined toward the rear
  4. Absence of distal expansion of the scapular blade (blade narrows distally, triangular shape)
  5. Light ventral crest of the scapula, behind the glenoid fossa
  6. Presence of osteoderms (plates, bulbs, and spines)

Species

Ampelosaurus atacis Le Loeuff, 1995

Type species

Based on Latin 'atax', the ancient name for the Aude River in southwestern France, near where the fossils were discovered.

Holotype
MDE-C3-247 , Le Musée des Dinosaures Espéraza-Aude (Dinosaur Museum Espéraza), Espéraza, Department Aude, Region Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées
Material
Three dorsal vertebrae in connection
Horizon
Marnes de la Maurine Member, Marnes Rouges Inférieures Formation, Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–66.0 million years ago
Locality
Bellevue, Aude, France

Notable specimens

  • “Eva”

    Le Musée des Dinosaures Espéraza-Aude (Dinosaur Museum Espéraza), Espéraza, Department Aude, Region Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées Found 2001 by Eva Morvan most complete

    Relatively complete, partially articulated young-adult skeleton with an almost complete disarticulated skull, taking several seasons to excavate. Helps make Ampelosaurus one of the best-known dinosaurs in France, though it remains undescribed.

    Souillat & Le Loeuff (2002)

  • MDE-C3-174

    Le Musée des Dinosaures Espéraza-Aude (Dinosaur Museum Espéraza), Espéraza, Department Aude, Region Languedoc-Roussillon-Midi-Pyrénées largest individual

    Femur of the largest known individual, used to estimate the maximum body size of about 13.9 meters long for the genus.

    Vila et al. (2022)

References

  1. Le Loeuff, J. (1995). Ampelosaurus atacis (nov, gen., nov. sp.), un nouveau Titanosauridae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) du Crétacé supérieur de la Haute Vallée de l'Aude (France) [Ampelosaurus atacis (nov, gen., nov. sp.), a new titanosaurid (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of the Upper Aude Valley (France)]. Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences à Paris, Série IIa 321: 693-699. leloeuff1995a
  2. Souillat, C.; Le Loeuff, J. (2002). Numéro Spécial 2002. La Lettre de Dinosauria 1-23. souillat2002a
  3. Vila, B.; Sellés, A.; Moreno-Azanza, M.; Razzolini, N. L.; Gil-Delgado, A.; Canudo, J. I.; Galobart, À. (2022). A titanosaurian sauropod with Gondwanan affinities in the latest Cretaceous of Europe. Nature Ecology & Evolution 6(3): 288-296. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01651-5

    Size outlined in the supplementary information to the paper.

    vila2022a
  4. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate, and the appearance features.

    jones2026b