Alamosaurus the Huge North American Sauropod

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Today's new drawing is of a huge North American Sauropod called Alamosaurus.

Alamosaurus feeding on Cycad Tree

(Alamosaurus sanjuanensis)

Alamosaurus was a gigantic Sauropod dinosaur.  It appeared in North America after a 30 million-year lack of any Sauropods on the continent.  It was closely related to the giant Titanosaurs of South America.  So it is thought that it must have migrated up into North America FROM South America.  It was the biggest land animal ever to live in North America.  It was possibly 100 feet or 30.5 meters long and possibly weighed up to 88 tons.  Of course, estimates vary.  Initially, it was thought that Alamosaurus was only around 52 feet long.  But in 2011 vertebrae were found that showed that Alamosaurus was possibly twice that size.  

One fossilized bone of an Alamosaurus had a T. rex tooth embedded inside it.  This may indicate that T. rex preyed on this Sauropod.  However, with its enormous size, a healthy Alamosaurus would not be threatened by an adult T. rex... or even by a pack of Tyrannosaurs.  Alamosaurs were one of the few Sauropods that we know had osteoderms or armor to protect it from predators.  Although there is some thought that possible all or most Sauropods had defensive armor that just did not fossilize... thus leaving us not knowing about their ostedermal armor.  

Although Aregentinosaurus is thought to have been larger, it was not by much.  In fact, we may one day find Alamosaurus fossils that indicate that IT was larger.  So far Alamosaurus fossils have been found in New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and as far north as Wyoming.  It clearly was a successful animal that lived in many parts of North America.  

By the way, the genus name Alamosaurus has nothing to do with the Alamo in Texas.  Alamo actually is the Spanish word for poplar trees like the cottonweed tree and it was found in a place with that name.  Specifically, the dinosaur was named for the Ojo Alamo Sandstone where it was first found in 1921 in New Mexico.  Its species name is sanjuanensis after the county in New Mexico where it was found.  So the full scientific classification name is Alamosaurus sanjuanensis.

NOTE:  This drawing, in printable form, is found by clicking on the button labeled "Paleontology."  Then, IF you are accessing this page during October of 2024 then this title will be at or near the bottom of the Mesozoic Animals titles.  Have fun coloring!