Question 1

How do you say Amargasaurus?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus is pronounced ah-MAR-gah-SORE-us. Break it into four parts: ah, then MAR, then gah, then SORE-us. The stress lands on the MAR and the SORE syllables. Say it a few times fast and you will sound like a real paleontologist. The NHM London also accepts the version A-MARG-oh-sore-us, so either way you are correct.

Question 2

What does Amargasaurus mean?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus means 'La Amarga lizard.' The name comes from La Amarga canyon in Argentina, where the only known fossil was discovered in 1984. La Amarga is Spanish for 'the bitter one,' referring to the local water sources. The second half, saurus, is Ancient Greek for lizard, which is used in the name of almost every dinosaur ever discovered.

Question 3

How big was Amargasaurus?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus was between 9 and 13 meters long, which is roughly 30 to 43 feet. It weighed an estimated 6,800 kilograms, around 15,000 pounds. That sounds massive, but for a sauropod it was actually on the smaller side. Its cousins like Argentinosaurus were several times longer and heavier. Think of Amargasaurus as the compact hatchback of the sauropod family.

Question 4

What did Amargasaurus eat?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus was a herbivore, meaning it only ate plants. It had peg-like teeth designed for stripping leaves and plant material from branches rather than chewing them thoroughly. Scientists believe it was a mid-level browser, targeting shrubs, ferns, and low-hanging tree branches in its Patagonian habitat. Like many sauropods, it probably swallowed small stones called gastroliths to help grind food in its stomach.

Question 5

What are the spines on Amargasaurus for?

Accepted Answer

That is one of paleontology's most exciting ongoing debates. The two parallel rows of tall spines running down the neck and back could have supported a sail of skin for display or temperature regulation, formed twin fleshy humps like a double-humped camel, or simply stuck out as individual spikes covered in horn sheaths. A 2009 study suggested the spines were connected by ligaments forming a sail scaffold. Other researchers think they looked more like individual horn-covered spikes. Nobody knows for certain yet.

Question 6

When did Amargasaurus live?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 121 to 129 million years ago. That is more recent than famous dinosaurs like Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus, which lived during the Jurassic period. To put it in perspective, Amargasaurus was alive roughly 60 million years before the asteroid that wiped out the non-bird dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period.

Question 7

Where was Amargasaurus found?

Accepted Answer

The only known Amargasaurus fossil was found in Neuquen Province in Patagonia, Argentina, in 1984. Specifically, it came from rocks of the La Amarga Formation, which is where the dinosaur's name comes from. Patagonia in Argentina is one of the richest dinosaur fossil regions on Earth, having produced dozens of important dinosaur discoveries over the past century.

Question 8

How many Amargasaurus fossils have been found?

Accepted Answer

Only one Amargasaurus skeleton has ever been discovered. Found in 1984 in Patagonia, Argentina, it is remarkably complete for a sauropod, including vertebrae, limb bones, and skull fragments. Because sauropod skulls are very loosely attached to the skeleton, they almost always fall off and get separated before fossilizing, making the skull fragments from this specimen especially valuable to scientists.

Question 9

Was Amargasaurus dangerous?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus was a plant eater, so it was not a predator and did not hunt other animals. However, those tall spines along its neck and back could have made it a dangerous animal to mess with. Predators attacking from above or biting at the neck would have met a wall of sharp bony spikes. Some scientists think the spines may also have been used in combat with other Amargasaurus during fights over mates or territory.

Question 10

What family does Amargasaurus belong to?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus belongs to the family Dicraeosauridae, a group of sauropod dinosaurs within the larger group Diplodocoidea. Dicraeosaurids were generally smaller than their giant sauropod cousins and are known for having unusually tall neural spines along their vertebrae. The family's most well-known other member is Dicraeosaurus from Tanzania, and the two animals share a common ancestor even though they lived on different continents and in different time periods.

Question 11

Who discovered Amargasaurus?

Accepted Answer

The Amargasaurus fossil was excavated in 1984 during an expedition led by Jose Bonaparte, one of Argentina's most celebrated paleontologists. Bonaparte co-described and officially named the dinosaur in 1991 alongside fellow paleontologist Leonardo Salgado. The species name, cazaui, was chosen to honor Luis Cazau, a geologist who contributed important work to understanding the geology of Patagonia where the fossil was found.

Question 12

Is Amargasaurus related to Brachiosaurus?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus and Brachiosaurus are both sauropods, but they belong to very different branches of the sauropod family tree. Brachiosaurus belongs to the group Macronaria, while Amargasaurus belongs to Diplodocoidea and the family Dicraeosauridae. Their closest shared common ancestor lived very far back in sauropod evolution. They are more like distant cousins than close relatives, similar to how humans and lemurs are both primates but very distantly related.

Question 13

Did Amargasaurus have a sail like Spinosaurus?

Accepted Answer

Amargasaurus may have had a sail, but it would have been very different from Spinosaurus's sail. Spinosaurus had a single row of very tall spines forming one central ridge. Amargasaurus had two parallel rows of spines that some scientists think formed a double sail or twin ridges. Other researchers believe the spines were individual structures covered in horn sheaths rather than connected by skin. The exact appearance is still debated, and without fossilized skin impressions, scientists cannot be completely certain.

Question 14

Could Amargasaurus rear up on its hind legs?

Accepted Answer

Scientists debate whether large sauropods could rear up on their hind legs, and Amargasaurus is no exception. Some researchers think certain sauropods reared up to reach high vegetation or to defend themselves. However, Amargasaurus's body proportions and the evidence from its teeth suggest it was primarily a mid-level browser, feeding on shrubs and low branches rather than treetops. Its compact, relatively heavy body compared to longer-necked sauropods also makes rearing up less likely for this particular dinosaur.

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