Open Paleo

Duriatitan

Barrett et al., 2010 doo-ree-uh-TY-tuhn

From Latin Duria, the Roman name for Dorset (England), + Greek Titan, a giant of mythology; means 'giant from Dorset'

154.8–149.2 million years ago Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic
Late Jurassic stages

Duriatitan is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur that lived in the Late Jurassic in what is now England. The holotype specimen of Duriatitan, BMNH 44635, is a partial left upper arm bone which was found by R.I. Smith near Sandsfoot, Weymouth in the lower Kimmeridge Clay from Dorset. The type species, D. humerocristatus, was described in 1874 by John Hulke as a species of Cetiosaurus and was noted as being similar to that of Gigantosaurus. The specific name refers to the deltopectoral crest, crista, on the upper arm bone, humerus. The specimen was assigned to its own genus by Paul M. Barrett, Roger B.J. Benson and Paul Upchurch in 2010. The generic name is derived from the Latin name for Dorset, Duria, and Greek Titan. Thomas Holtz estimated its length at 25 meters (82 ft).

Species

Duriatitan humerocristatus Barrett et al., 2010

Type species

From Latin 'humerus' (upper arm bone) and 'cristatus' (crested), referring to the distinctive deltopectoral crest on the humerus that is the basis of the holotype.

Holotype
BMNH 44635 , Natural History Museum
Horizon
Kimmeridge Clay Formation, Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic , 154.8–149.2 million years ago
Locality
Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom

References

  1. Barrett, P. M.; Benson, R. B. J.; Upchurch, P. (2010). Dinosaurs of Dorset: Part II, the sauropod dinosaurs (Saurischia, Sauropoda) with additional comments of the theropods. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 131: 113-126. barrett2010a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the mass and hip height estimates.

    jones2026b
  3. Lydekker, R. (1888). Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia in the British Museum (Natural History). Part I. British Museum (Natural History), London 1-309.

    Gives the holotype's provenance as Weymouth, Dorset.

    lydekker1888a
  4. Upchurch, P.; Martin, J. (2003). The anatomy and taxonomy of Cetiosaurus (Saurischia, Sauropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of England. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(1): 208-231. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2003)23[208:TAATOC]2.0.CO;2

    Restates the Weymouth provenance and the Kimmeridge Clay horizon.

    upchurch2003a