Name:
Saltasaurus (Greek for "Salta lizard"); pronounced SALT-ah-SORE-us
Habitat:
Woodlands of South America
Historical Period:
Late Cretaceous (80-65 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 40 feet long and 10 tons
Diet:
Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Relatively slim build; bony plates lining back
About Saltasaurus:
As giant titanosaurs go, Saltasaurus was the runt of the litter--this plant eater only weighed about 10 tons, compared to 50 or 100 tons for Diplodocus or Argentinosaurus. This weight difference can be explained by Saltosaurus' relatively streamlined build compared to its huge, squat cousins.
However, what really set Saltasaurus apart from the sauropod pack was the bony armor lining its back--an adaptation that caused paleontologists to initially mistake this dinosaur's remains for those of Ankylosaurus. Clearly, this slim herbivore attracted the notice of Cretaceous predators, and its back plates evolved as a much-needed form of defense.
