Sarmientosaurus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Sarmientosaurus Sarmientosaurus (SAR-mee-EN-toh-SAWR-us; “Sarmiento’s lizard”) is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that lived about 95 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period. Its fossils were discovered in the Chubut Province of Patagonia, Argentina. The name Sarmientosaurus honors the nearby town of Sarmiento, where the fossils were found, […]
Saturnalia: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Saturnalia Saturnalia (SA-tur-NAY-lee-uh; “Named for the Saturnalia festival”) is a genus of basal sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, specifically the Carnian stage, approximately 233 million years ago. Its fossils were discovered in what is now southern Brazil, South America. Saturnalia was first described by paleontologists
Saurolophus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Saurolophus Saurolophus (SAW-roh-LOH-fuss; “Lizard crest”) is a genus of large hadrosaurid, or “duck-billed,” dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 to 68 million years ago. Fossils of Saurolophus have been discovered in both North America, including Alberta, Canada, and California, USA, as well as in Asia,
Sauroniops: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Sauroniops Sauroniops (sow-RON-ee-ops; “Eye of Sauron”) is a genus of carcharodontosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 95 million years ago, in what is now Morocco. The name comes from “Sauron,” a character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and the Greek word
Sauropelta Sauropelta (SAW-roh-PEL-tuh; “Shield Lizard”) Sauropelta is a genus of nodosaurid dinosaur that roamed North America during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 115 to 110 million years ago. Its name, derived from Greek, means “shield lizard,” aptly describing the extensive bony armor that covered its body. Fossils of Sauropelta, primarily found in states like Montana,
Saurophaganax: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Saurophaganax Saurophaganax (SAWR-oh-FAG-uh-nax; “Lord of lizard-eaters”) is a genus of very large allosaurid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, about 155 to 150 million years ago. Its fossils have been found in what is now Oklahoma, in the United States, specifically from the Morrison Formation. The
Saurophagus: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Saurophagus Saurophagus (SAW-ro-FAY-gus; “lizard eater”) is a name originally applied to a genus of giant meat-eating dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, about 151 million years ago, in what is now North America. Its fossils were first found in Oklahoma. The name Saurophagus was coined in 1931 by paleontologist
Sauroplites: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Sauroplites Sauroplites (SAWR-oh-PLY-teez; “Reptile Hoplite”) is a genus of nodosaurid ankylosaurian dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 125 to 113 million years ago, in what is now Gansu Province, China. The name Sauroplites, meaning “reptile hoplite,” refers to the extensive bony armor that covered its body,
Sauroposeidon: Profile of a Prehistoric Giant Sauroposeidon Sauroposeidon (SAWR-oh-poh-SY-dun; “Earthquake God Lizard”) Sauroposeidon is a genus of giant sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 112 to 100 million years ago. Its fossils have been discovered in North America, specifically in Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Texas. The name Sauroposeidon refers to Poseidon, the
Saurornithoides: Profile of the Bird-Like Lizard Saurornithoides Saurornithoides (SAWR-or-nih-THOY-deez; “Bird-like lizard”) is a genus of troodontid theropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, about 75 to 70 million years ago, in what is now Mongolia. The name highlights its many bird-like features. Saurornithoides was first described by paleontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1924,
