Fun Tastavinsaurus Facts For Kids
New dinosaur species are not only discovered from countries of Asia and South America but also from countries like Spain. The Tastavinsaurus, also known as 'the lizard of the Tastavins river', is a genus of sauropod dinosaur which was found from the Xert Formation of Spain, Europe.
The dinosaur belongs to the group of Titanosauriformes. The dinosaur belonged to the period of the Early Cretaceous or Lower Cretaceous which spanned from 145-100.5 million years ago.
The first specimen of the dinosaur was found from the Xert Formation, while the second specimen was found in the Forcall Formation, both are located in the Teruel Province, Spain. The dinosaur was named Tastavinsaurus sanzi in honor of a river, Rio Tastavins, and one of the renowned paleontologists of Spain, José Luis Sanz.
Also, the dinosaur is the best-preserved Early Cretaceous sauropod in the European continent.
Information regarding the Tastavinsaurus skull is not known as of now, but titanosaurs generally possessed smaller heads compared to other sauropods. Also, the Tastavinsaurus was closely related to Brachiosauridae and Somphospondyli.
Their necks were of average length for sauropods, while the tails were whip-shaped. The chest area was quite wider which also provided a wide-legged stance. Also, no information regarding the actual Tastavinsaurus size has been gathered as of now.
Like other sauropods, these dinosaurs were herbivores and generally fed on leaves and plants. The female titanosaurs used to dig holes with their back feet and lay eggs in clutches averaging around 24-25. The nests were buried under dirt and vegetation. They must have inhabited either plains or coastal areas.
Let's read more fun facts about the Tastavinsuarus, and if you find this article interesting, don't forget to check out exciting facts about different animals like Bothriospondylus and Amazonsaurus.