Open Paleo

Turiasaurus

Royo-Torres et al., 2006 TOO-ree-uh-SOR-us

Named after Turia, the ancient Roman name for the Teruel region of Spain where it was found, plus Greek sauros ('lizard'), meaning 'Turia lizard'

154.8–143.1 million years ago Kimmeridgian–Tithonian, Late Jurassic
Late Jurassic stages

Turiasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaurs. It is known from a single fossil specimen representing the species Turiasaurus riodevensis, found in the Kimmeridgian Villar del Arzobispo Formation of Teruel, Spain.

Diagnosis

  1. Prezygapophyseal and postzygapophyseal articular facets on middle dorsal vertebrae strongly convex and concave, respectively
  2. Strongly convex subcircular hyposphene on middle dorsal vertebrae
  3. Distal caudal vertebrae strongly opisthocoelous
  4. Accessory process projecting caudodorsally from dorsal margin of proximal cervical rib shafts
  5. Distal humeral condyles strongly expanded cranially and caudally
  6. Radius and ulna distal condyles very compressed mediolaterally
  7. Carpal with two subcircular distal processes separated by depression
  8. Cnemial crest of tibia reduced and directed cranially
  9. Fibula with roughened oval medial trochanter on middle-distal part
  10. Metatarsal V with strongly expanded distal end

Species

Turiasaurus riodevensis Royo-Torres et al., 2006

Type species

Named for Riodeva, the locality in Teruel Province, Spain, where the fossils were found.

Holotype
CPT-1195, CPT-1196, CPT-1197, CPT-1198, CPT-1199, CPT-1200, CPT-1201, CPT-1202, CPT-1203, CPT-1204, CPT-1205, CPT-1206, CPT-1207, CPT-1208, CPT-1209, CPT-1210 , Museo de la Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis
Material
Partial skeleton.
Horizon
Villar del Arzobispo Formation, Kimmeridgian–Tithonian, Late Jurassic , 154.8–143.1 million years ago
Locality
Barrihonda-El Humero, RD-10, Teruel, Spain

Synonyms of the genus

Name Type Reason
Riodevasaurus informal Informal name used for material now considered referable to Turiasaurus.

References

  1. Royo-Torres, R.; Cobos, A.; Alcalá, L. (2006). A Giant European Dinosaur and a New Sauropod Clade. Science 314(5807): 1925-1927. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). doi:10.1126/science.1132885 royo-torres2006a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

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

    jones2026b