Open Paleo

Normanniasaurus

Le Loeuff et al., 2013 nor-man-eye-ah-sor-us /nɔːrˈmæniəˌsɔːrəs/

Derived from Normannia, the Latin name for Normandy (northwestern France, where the bones were discovered), and Greek sauros meaning 'lizard'; meaning 'Normandy lizard'

113.2–100.5 million years ago Albian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Normanniasaurus is an extinct genus of basal titanosaur sauropod known from the Early Cretaceous (Albian stage) Poudingue Ferrugineux of Seine-Maritime, northwestern France.

Diagnosis

  1. Presacral vertebrae with hyposphene-hypantrum articulation
  2. Internal texture of presacral vertebrae cancellous
  3. Anterior caudal vertebrae deeply procoelous with antepostzygapophysial foramen
  4. Deep postspinal and prespinal fossae in caudals with axially elongated neural spine
  5. Middle caudal vertebrae amphicoelous with cranially inserted neural arch
  6. Dorsal projection of spinoprezygapophysial lamina in mid-caudals
  7. Ilium with craniolaterally expanded blade

Species

Normanniasaurus genceyi Le Loeuff et al., 2013

Type species

Named for Pierre Gencey, who discovered the remains in July 1990.

Holotype
MHNH 2013.2.1.1, MHNH 2013.2.1.2, MHNH 2013.2.1.3, MHNH 2013.2.1.4, MHNH 2013.2.1.5, MHNH 2013.2.1.6, MHNH 2013.2.1.7, MHNH 2013.2.1.8, MHNH 2013.2.1.9, MHNH 2013.2.1.10, MHNH 2013.2.1.11, MHNH 2013.2.1.12 , Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle du Havre
Material
Partial skeleton including presacral vertebrae fragments, partial sacrum, anterior and middle caudal vertebrae, right scapula, parts of both ilia and ischia, proximal femur extremity, proximal fibula
Horizon
Poudingue Ferrugineux Formation, Albian, Early Cretaceous , 113.2–100.5 million years ago
Locality
Bléville, Seine-Maritime, France

References

  1. Le Loeuff, J.; Suteethorn, S.; Buffetaut, E. (2013). A new sauropod dinosaur from the Albian of Le Havre (Normandy, France). Oryctos 10: 23-30. leloeuff2013a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length estimate.

    jones2026b