Fun Patagotitan Facts For Kids

Patagotitan, with the scientific name Patagotitan mayorum, is a kind of titanosaur endemic to Patagonia of Argentina. A total of six skeletal remains have been collected of this relatively new species, making it one of the most complete fossils.

These dinosaurs were plant-eating and existed 95-102 million years ago. The type species of Patagotitan was formally described by Alejandro Otero, José Luis Carballido, Diego Pol, and a few others.

Interestingly, the six fossil specimens of Patagotitan which were recovered by scientists were all found in the same geological dig sites, however, the time of death was years apart.

This suggests something about that particular area was attractive to dying Patagotitans, all those million years ago. There is more mystery surrounding the exact cause behind the size of this dinosaur.

Though the exact evolutionary causes behind the incredibly large body mass and size of the Patagotitan are not known, it has been assessed that these features helped this species of titanosaur to better adapt to its environment and get a better defense against predators.

To learn more about the Patagotitan, keep reading! You can also check out these Aetonyx facts and Tastavinsaurus facts.

Patagotitan Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Patagotitan '?

The name Patagotitan is pronounced as 'PAT-a-go-TIE-tuhn'.

What type of dinosaur was a Patagotitan?

Patagotitan was a kind of sauropod dinosaur and is a relatively new species to be discovered. Fossil records show that sauropods were characterized by long necks, small heads, and long tails.

Members of this group are all notable for their massive length and height. The oldest sauropod dinosaurs belonged to the Early Jurassic. The Patagotitan can also be called a titanosaur, as it belongs to the clade Titanosauria, under the sauropod dinosaurs.

In which geological period did the Patagotitan roam the earth?

The titanosaurs existed during the Cretaceous age, and the Patagotitan dinosaurs roamed the Earth during the end of the Early Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Late Cretaceous period, which occurred 95-102 million years ago.

When did the Patagotitan become extinct?

The extinction of the Patagotitan dinosaur took place during the beginning of the Late Cretaceous, probably towards the end of the Cenomanian stage.

Where did a Patagotitan live?

These giant titanosaurs were endemic to the Chubut Province, in Patagonia, Argentina. In fact, the name of the genus, which is Patagotitan, means 'Patagonian titan', alluding to the geographical location of this majestic dinosaur. The holotype species of Patagotitan was found in the Cerro Barcino Formation, which is a kind of geological formation.

What was a Patagotitan's habitat?

Patagotitans were terrestrial animals and inhabited forested areas. This era was characterized by an increase in the number of flowering plants.

The data on sedimentation of such regions pointed towards an environment with floodplains of meandering systems. The climatic condition during the era of the Patagotitan mayorum was considerably warm due to the presence of high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Who did a Patagotitan live with?

The social structure and behavior of Patagotitans are not well-known or studied. In general, different species of sauropods display different social behavior. Some may have been solitary, while species like the alamosaurus may have displayed herd behavior in the younger stages of their lives, followed by becoming solitary as adults.

How long did a Patagotitan live?

The exact life span of Patagotitan mayorum has not been estimated. However, the life span of a closely related species of dinosaur, the argentinosaurus has been calculated to be over 40 years. So, a similar life expectancy can be expected in the case of Patagotitan.

How did they reproduce?

Like other dinosaurs, this giant species of long-necked titanosaur also reproduced by laying eggs. While reproductive information related to the Patagotitans remains scarce, scientists have done sufficient research to conclude that sauropods laid about 10 eggs in their nests.

Once the baby dinosaurs hatched out, they would grow at a very fast rate. It has been assumed that the sauropod dinosaurs laid quite a few clutches of eggs every season, and invested in little to no parental care for their young.

Patagotitan Fun Facts

What did a Patagotitan look like?

There are a lot of features that make the Patagotitan mayorum of Argentina stand out. However, its long neck and giant size are undoubtedly its most striking physical attributes.

Studies done on the fossils consisting of the bones and skeleton of these animals have revealed the presence of neural spines on the middle, rear back vertebrae, and front tail vertebrae.

The neural spine on the front tail vertebrae had visible bifurcation. The bone belonging to the upper arm had a distinct bulge on the outer side, while the bone of the lower thigh had a straight outer edge.

How many bones did a Patagotitan have?

Though the exact number of bones belonging to the Patagotitan has not yet been estimated, to date six partial skeletons of this species have been recovered. Combining these skeletons, a total of 130 bones have been collected, helping paleontologists create a pretty accurate representation of this giant animal.

How did they communicate?

The exact methods of communication are yet to be established when it comes to Patagotitans. Generally speaking, dinosaurs communicated through sounds and visual means.

How big was a Patagotitan?

The measurements of one of the largest animals on land to ever exist are quite mind-blowing. The length of a Patagotitan is thought to be about 122 ft (37.2 m), while its height was 20 ft (6 m).

However, the bones of this species that were recovered showed signs of incomplete growth, meaning these titanosaurs could have grown larger. In comparison to a tyrannosaurus, which had a length of about 40 ft (12 m), the Patagotitan titanosaurs were significantly longer.

How fast could a Patagotitan move?

This group of titanosaurs is assumed to have been slow-moving due to their giant body size. They were quadrupedal in nature, meaning they used all four of their limbs to move around.

Interestingly, a computerized version of the skeleton and muscles of argentinosaurus estimated its maximum speed to be 5 mph (8 kph). A similar speed can be expected in the Patagotitan dinosaurs.

How much did a Patagotitan weigh?

Though a lot of varied data exists on the bodyweight of Patagotitan dinosaurs, the commonly accepted weight is 69 T (62500 kg).

What were the male and female names of the species?

There are no separate names to refer to the male and female dinosaurs of this titanosaur species.

What would you call a baby Patagotitan?

A baby Patagotitan is known as a hatchling.

What did they eat?

These animals were herbivorous or plant-eating in nature, so their diet probably included a variety of different plants. During the age when these titanosaurs existed, there was an increase in flowering plants. So, a part of their diet may have consisted of the different kinds of flowering plants of that era.

How aggressive were they?

Given the humongous size and body mass of Patagotitan mayorum and its herbivorous nature, it may not have been an aggressive animal, as there would have been no need for this titanosaur to be hostile to other species of dinosaurs who would usually be smaller than them.

Did you know...

The bones of the Patagotitans were hollow in nature, making them lighter and allowing them to grow even more. Additionally, it had air chambers connected to its respiratory system.

This allowed the easy transport of oxygen throughout the body of the animal. The skeleton fossils of this titanosaur have revealed it had wider hips, which aided in spreading out the weight of the animal and making it easier for it to stand or walk.

Is Patagotitan bigger than a blue whale?

Even though the Patagotitan was one of the largest land animals during its time, they weren't bigger in all aspects than the blue whales we see today. The length of a blue whale can be as much as 110 ft (33.5 m), while its weight can be around 190 tons (172.3 tonnes).

Clearly, in comparison to the blue whale, the Patagotitan mayorum was longer, but its weight was much lesser than the blue whales of today.

Is Patagotitan bigger than Argentinosaurus?

Patagotitan and Argentinosaurus are both sauropods and Titanosaurs, with large bodies and long necks. Over the years, numerous scientists and paleontologists have used different methods to estimate the body length and weight of both these species of animals.

According to the most widely accepted measurements and dimensions, the Argentinosaurus had a length between 98.4-131.2 ft (30-40 m), and a weight between 55-110 T (50000-100000 kg), making it one of the largest dinosaurs to ever exist.

In both cases, the range is much larger in the Argentinosaurus, so it can be assumed that they were in fact bigger than the Patagotitan dinosaurs. Bruhathkayosaurus in turn is estimated to be larger than the Argentinosaurus.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly dinosaur facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these Incisivosaurus facts, or Xenotarsosaurus facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable dinosaur teeth coloring pages.

Main image by PaleoEquii

Second image by User:Mariolanzas