Description and Classification

Tendaguria was a type of sauropod, which are known for their very large size, long necks, long tails, and four-legged stance. All sauropods were herbivores, meaning they ate plants. Because Tendaguria is only known from two vertebrae, it is difficult to determine its exact size and appearance. However, these bones show some unique features. The vertebrae possessed tall neural spines (the bony projections on top of the vertebrae) that were deeply forked at their tips, a feature known as bifid neural spines. They also had a complex system of bony ridges (laminae) and depressions (fossae).

Based on these vertebrae, scientists believe Tendaguria was a fairly large dinosaur, though perhaps not as gigantic as some of its Tendaguru relatives like Giraffatitan. Its classification has been a topic of discussion among paleontologists. Initially, its unique features made it difficult to place within a specific sauropod family. Some studies have suggested that Tendaguria might be a primitive member of a group called Turiasauria. Turiasaurs, such as Turiasaurus from Europe, were very large sauropods. If Tendaguria is indeed a turiasaur, it would indicate a link between European and African sauropod faunas during the Late Jurassic. However, its exact position in the sauropod family tree is still being researched. It is clearly different from other well-known sauropods from the Tendaguru Formation, such as the towering Giraffatitan, the shorter-necked Dicraeosaurus, or Janenschia.

Distinguishing Features

Tendaguria can be distinguished from other sauropod dinosaurs primarily by features of its vertebrae. These include:

• Unusually tall neural spines on its anterior dorsal vertebrae (backbones near the shoulders).
• These neural spines are deeply forked or “bifid” at their upper ends.
• A complex and unique pattern of bony ridges (laminae) and hollows (fossae) on the surfaces of the vertebrae.
• The presence of well-developed hyposphene-hypantrum articulations, which are extra joints that locked the vertebrae together, providing more rigidity to the spine. This feature is common in some early sauropods but less so in more advanced groups.

Paleoenvironment and Diet

Tendaguria lived in what is now Tanzania during the Late Jurassic. The Tendaguru Formation, where its fossils were found, preserved an ancient coastal environment. This area was likely a mix of lagoons, estuaries, and tidal flats, with a relatively warm, subtropical climate. This ecosystem supported a diverse range of dinosaurs. Tendaguria shared its habitat with other giant sauropods like Giraffatitan and Dicraeosaurus, the spiky stegosaur Kentrosaurus, and carnivorous theropods such as Elaphrosaurus. Pterosaurs, or flying reptiles, also soared through the skies.

As a sauropod, Tendaguria was a herbivore. It would have used its long neck (though its exact neck length is unknown) to browse on vegetation such as conifers, cycads, and ferns, which were common plants during the Jurassic period. The specific types of plants it ate or how high it could reach are uncertain due to the limited fossil material.

Significance and Ongoing Research

The discovery of Tendaguria added another unique sauropod to the already impressive list of dinosaurs from the Tendaguru Formation, highlighting the incredible diversity of these animals in Late Jurassic Africa. Its unusual vertebral anatomy provides important clues about the evolution and variation of sauropod backbones. If Tendaguria is confirmed as a turiasaur, it would have significant implications for understanding how these giant sauropods spread across different continents, particularly between Gondwana (the southern supercontinent that included Africa) and Laurasia (the northern supercontinent).

Ongoing research on Tendaguria is challenging because so little of its skeleton has been found. Paleontologists continue to study its known fossils and compare them with new sauropod discoveries from around the world. Future fossil finds in the Tendaguru Formation could potentially uncover more remains of Tendaguria, which would allow scientists to learn much more about its appearance, size, and way of life, and help to clarify its relationships to other sauropod dinosaurs.