Fun Laplatasaurus Facts For Kids

Laplatasaurus is also known by the meaning, La Plata or La Plata lizard. This sauropod lived during the Late Cretaceous evolution in South America. The genus was named in the year 1927 after researching different specimens laid out by paleontologists. This La Plata lizard-like dinosaur existed from 83.6 million years ago to 66 million years ago. The specific name of this dinosaur is derived from the Araucanos or Mapuche. However, in the year 1933, paleontologists renamed it from Titanosaurus madagascariensis to Laplatasaurus. This is one of the last species of dinosaurs that today is referred to as the original Titanosaurus classification.

The partial remains or fossils of this dinosaur have been found in Uruguay and Argentina. These fossils are being interpreted as late or early Cenomanian in age. That means they make the boundary line between early cretaceous or late cretaceous. During a 2015 re-assessment, it was found out that this classification of dinosaurs was very much closely related to Bonitasaura and Uberabatitian.

How do you pronounce 'Laplatasaurus'?

The name Laplatasaurus is pronounced as 'La-Pla-tah-sore-us'. Besides that, the type species name of this dinosaur is Laplatasaurus araukanicus. It is pronounced as 'La-Pla-tah-sore-us ara-uk-ani-cius'.

What type of dinosaur was a Laplatasaurus?

Laplatasaurus is an early basal dinosaur from the sauropod classification. The species is amongst the Plateosaurus trossingensis. Some paleontologists, including Von Huene, assigned them to Titanosaurus, and a new combination, Titanosaurus aurakanicus, was created. Others treated them as a separate genus.

In which geological period did the Laplatasaurus roam the Earth?

There is a slight confusion regarding the geological time period of the genus's existence. It was interpreted that the Laplatasaurus fossils, which were discovered from Argentina, belonged to the Albian or the early Cenomanian age of the Upper Cretaceous period. However, those excavated from Uruguay distinctly belonged to the Cenomanian. This makes the origin of the genus at least early Cenomanian.

When did the Laplatasaurus become extinct?

The full extent of the existence period of the genus is still under speculations since the specimens discovered from different places show differences in the temporal range.

Where did Laplatasaurus live?

The Laplatasaurus evolved in South America during the Upper Cretaceous period. The fossils of the dinosaurs were excavated from different formations of the continent, implying that they were widespread. The fossils of the dinosaur were discovered from the Allen formation Anacleto Formation of Argentina and the Asencio Formation of Uruguay.

What was the Laplatasaurus' habitat?

The Laplatasaurus lived in terrestrial habitats; these types of habitats ranged from coastal lands to forests.

Who did the Laplatasaurus live with?

Three specimens of the genus were discovered from the Late Cretaceous formations of South America. This suggests that they probably herded together, but the actual social structure of the sauropod dinosaur is unknown.

How long did a Laplatasaurus live?

The Laplatasaurus evolved during the Cenomanian phase of the upper Cretaceous age. They lived up to 66 million years ago.

How did they reproduce?

The dinosaurs were oviparous in nature; they reproduced by laying eggs. However, since they are only known from fossils, no additional information could be concluded.

What did the Laplatasaurus look like?

The Laplatasaurus was represented by partial remains of multiple specimens. However, there is no proper physical description of the genus.

How many bones did a Laplatasaurus have?

The number of bones present in their body is not known. They are known for partial remains like limb elements, a series of caudal vertebrae, and some dorsal vertebrae.

How did they communicate?

They communicated using vocalizations like other dinosaurs.

How big was the Laplatasaurus?

The average length of a Laplatasaurus was around 59 ft (18 m). They were five times bigger than Canardia.

How fast could a Laplatasaurus move?

The Laplatasaurus was a medium-sized dinosaur that moved at a moderate speed. Their speed has not been determined.

How much did a Laplatasaurus weigh?

The wight of the Laplatasaurus has not been determined.

What were the male and female names of the species?

The male and female species do not have any particular name; both of them were referred to as Laplatasaurus.

What would you call a baby Laplatasaurus?

A baby Laplatasaurus is called a nestling or a hatchling.

How aggressive were they?

The Laplatasaurus were herbivorous in nature; this made them less aggressive than the flesh-eating predators of the Late Cretaceous.

Did You Know…

The genus was named way back in the past by Friedrich Von Huene in 1927. However, the species were not discovered till 1929. Von Huene described the type species for the first time in 1929 and placed the sauropod in the family Titanosauridae. The generic name refers to La Plata of Argentina.

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