It has been long since we last did an article on dinosaurs. We received a request from one of our readers to write more on these prehistoric animals that ruled our planet for millions of years before they succumbed to the fury of nature. In this article, we are going to share some facts about Alamosaurus – a titanosaurs. As the name suggests, they were massive and well, research says that they were present in large numbers. So, instead of waiting for long, let us take a look at some of the most interesting Alamosaurus facts. Hopefully you will like them.
But…
Before we start talking about the facts, let us take a quick tabular look at some of the important information about this dinosaur.
| Name | Alamosaurus. Pronounced as AL-ah-moe-SORE-us. |
| Meaning of the name | Alamo Lizard |
| Lived in | North American woodlands |
| Period | 70 to 65 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous |
| Size | 60 to 70 feet long |
| Weight | 50 tons to 70 tons |
| Eating habits | Ate plants (herbivore) |
| Special characteristics | Long tail and long neck. Legs were relatively long. |
| Herd Animal | Lived in herds that included thousands of Alamosaurus at once |
| Type | Sauropod |
Okay, now let us start with the facts.
Interesting Alamosaurus Facts: 1-5
1. It was Charles W. Gilmore – a Smithsonian paleontologist who first discovered the fossil of Alamosaurus. The fossil was discovered in 1922.
2. It was Gilmore who named the dinosaur. However, there is an interesting fact about the naming. The name of the dinosaur will say that it was named after Texas’ Alamo. This is not true despite the fact that many fossils were discovered in the region.
3. The dinosaur was basically named after a sandstone formation of New Mexico. That sandstone formation is known as Ojo Alamo.
4. The neck of dinosaur was extremely long. The animal probably used the long neck to browse and eat plants on the ground.
5. The tail of the dinosaur was also long and it was most possibly used as a whip.
Interesting Alamosaurus Facts: 6-10
6. Before the Alamosaurus was fossil was discovered, experts believed that the sauropods that lived in North America actually died off by the time the Jurassic Period ended.
7. When the Alamosaurus was discovered, the previously held notion changed as it was proved that these really massive animals lived in North America even through the Cretaceous period.
8. No one can say how these large animals reached North America but some people believed that they used the Bering Land Bridge to cross over from Asia to North America.
9. After they moved to the areas of North America, they started migrating towards the southern portion of the continent considering the fact that the climate there was far more stable and suitable for them.
10. Alamosaurus actually lived alongside the Tyrannosaurus Rex. However, experts think that the T. Rex rarely hunted the Alamosaurus because they were too large for the T. Rex.
Interesting Alamosaurus Facts: 11-15
11. Experts however have the opinion that the juvenile Alamosaurus frequently became preys of T. Rex as they were small enough to be hunted.
12. A large number of Alamosaurus fossils were discovered in the area which is currently known as Texas. This discovery led to the belief that these gigantic animals lived in herds and that at any given point in time, at least 250,000 to 350,000 Alamosaurus could be found through out state of Texas.
13. Alamosaurus was about 52 feet long from head to tail tip. However, some scientists think that it could have been as long as 79 feet from head to tail tip, making it one of the largest dinosaurs to have lived on earth.
14. As far as its height was concerned, scientists estimate that it was 29 feet high when it fully raised its neck. However, there are some scientists who believe that it could have been 41 feet in height.
15. Some today speculate that the Alamosaurus was actually an armored dinosaur. This speculation is a result of the fact that Alamosaurus is actually very closely related to Saltasaurus – an armored dinosaur.
Interesting Alamosaurus Facts: 16-20
16. The speculation that Alamosaurus could have been an armored dinosaur also comes from the fact that one of the juveniles discovered recently showed armoring evidence. Scientists have identified bony deposits that stayed right underneath the skin, somewhat similar to modern day crocodiles.
17. However, Alamosaurus being an armored dinosaur is no more than a speculation because hardcore evidence is not present as the fossil records are very scarce. On top of that, even if the dinosaur had armor, it was embedded in soft tissue, making it very difficult to judge whether the armor is present or whether it is non-existent.
18. Scientists have so far failed to gather enough data on the eggs and nesting grounds of the Alamosaurus.
19. Experts say that because the Alamosaurus was heavy and massive, it was unable to run well and that it had a slow gait.
20. Just like any other titanosaurians that lived during those times, the Alamosaurus also had a small head.