Open Paleo

Patagotitan

Carballido et al., 2017 Pat-ah-go-tie-tan

Named for Patagonia, the region of Argentina where it was discovered, combined with Greek 'titan' meaning 'giant', referencing its enormous size.

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

Patagotitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous (Albian stage) Cerro Barcino Formation in Chubut Province, Patagonia, Argentina. The genus contains a single species known from at least six young adult individuals, Patagotitan mayorum, which was first announced in 2014 and then named in 2017 by José Carballido and colleagues. Originally thought to be the largest known titanosaur and land animal overall, preliminary studies and press releases suggested that Patagotitan had an estimated length of 37 m (121 ft) and an estimated weight of 69 tonnes (76 short tons). Later research revised the length estimate down to 31 m (102 ft) and weight estimates down to approximately 50-60 tonnes (55-66 short tons), suggesting that Patagotitan was of a similar size to, if not smaller than, its closest relatives Argentinosaurus and Puertasaurus. Still, Patagotitan is one of the best-known titanosaurs, and so its interrelationships with other titanosaurs have been relatively consistent in phylogenetic analyses. This led to its use in a re-definition of the group Colossosauria by Carballido and colleagues in 2022.

Diagnosis

  1. Anterior dorsal vertebrae with vertical prezygodiapophyseal lamina due to elevated prezygapophysis position relative to diapophysis
  2. Anteriormost dorsal vertebrae with ventral bulge in prespinal lamina
  3. Hyposphene-hypantrum restricted to articulation between D3 and D4
  4. Middle and posterior dorsal vertebrae with vertical neural spine
  5. First caudal vertebra with flat anterior and convex posterior articular surfaces
  6. Anterior caudal vertebrae with neural spines four to six times mediolaterally wider than anteroposteriorly long
  7. Anterior caudal neural spines incipiently bifid with anteriorly directed tips
  8. Marked bulge on posterolateral surface of humerus

Species

Patagotitan mayorum Carballido et al., 2017

Type species

Named for the Mayo family, owners of the La Flecha ranch in Chubut Province, Argentina, where the holotype and paratype specimens were excavated.

Holotype
MPEF-PV 3400 , Museo Paleontológico "Egidio Feruglio"
Material
Anterior and two middle cervical vertebrae, three anterior, two middle and two posterior dorsal vertebrae, six anterior caudal vertebrae, three chevrons, dorsal ribs, both sternal plates, right scapulocoracoid, both pubes and both femora
Horizon
upper Cerro Castaño Member, Cerro Barcino Formation, Albian, Early Cretaceous , 113.2–100.5 million years ago
Locality
La Flecha ranch, Chubut, Argentina

References

  1. Carballido, J. L.; Pol, D.; Otero, A.; Cerda, I. A.; Salgado, L.; Garrido, A. C.; Ramezani, J.; Cúneo, N. R.; Krause, J. M. (2017). A new giant titanosaur sheds light on body mass evolution among sauropod dinosaurs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284(1860): 20171219. The Royal Society. doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1219 carballido2017a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

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

    jones2026b