Open Paleo

Sauroposeidon

Wedel et al., 2000 SOR-o-po-SY-duhn /ˌsɔːroʊpoʊˈsaɪdən/

From Greek 'sauros' meaning 'lizard' and Poseidon (Ποσειδών), the Greek god of the sea also associated with earthquakes; meaning 'lizard earthquake god', referencing the notion that the animal's immense weight shook the ground.

121.4–100.5 million years ago Aptian–Albian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Sauroposeidon is a genus of sauropod dinosaur known from several incomplete specimens including a bone bed and fossilized trackways that have been found in the U.S. states of Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Texas.

Diagnosis

  1. Cervical centra extremely elongate; centrum length more than five times posterior centrum height
  2. Well-defined centroparapophysial laminae extending to posterior ends of centra
  3. Diapophyses located approximately one third of centrum length behind anterior condyles
  4. Deeply excavated neural spines which are perforate in anterior cervicals
  5. Neural spines occupy anterior nine-tenths of centra and are not bifurcate
  6. Cervical ribs slender and elongated with long robust anterior processes extending nearly to anterior condyles

Species

Sauroposeidon proteles Wedel et al., 2000

Type species

From Ancient Greek 'proteles' meaning 'perfect before the end', referring to Sauroposeidon's status as the last and most specialized giant sauropod known in North America during the Early Cretaceous.

Holotype
OMNH 53062 , Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
Material
Articulated cervical vertebrae 5-8, with cervical ribs preserved in place.
Horizon
middle Antlers Formation, Aptian–Albian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–100.5 million years ago
Locality
OMNH V821, Oklahoma, United States

Synonyms of the genus

Name Type Reason
Paluxysaurus junior subjective D'Emic (2012) re-analyzed the material and treated Paluxysaurus as a junior synonym of Sauroposeidon.

References

  1. Wedel, M. J.; Cifelli, R. L.; Sanders, R. K. (2000). Sauroposeidon proteles, a new sauropod from the early Cretaceous of Oklahoma. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(1): 109-114. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2000)020[0109:spansf]2.0.co;2 wedel2000a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the appearance features.

    jones2026b
  3. D'Emic, M. D. (2012). Revision of the sauropod dinosaurs of the Lower Cretaceous Trinity Group, southern USA, with the description of a new genus. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 11(6): 707-726. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/14772019.2012.667446 d'emic2012c