The Gigantic Titanosaur
Dreadnoughtus was a colossal sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 77 million years ago.
| Meaning | Fears nothing [Dread-noughtus] |
| Pronunciation | dred-NAW-tus |
| When: | Late Cretaceous (about 75–70 million years ago) |
| Where: | South America (Argentina) |
| What: | Sauropod (Titanosaur) |
| Weight: | Estimated around 49 metric tons |
| Length: | Approximately 26 meters (85 feet) |
| Diet: | Herbivorous (ate high vegetation like conifers) |
| Discovered: | First described by Kenneth Lacovara and colleagues in 2014 |
It is one of the largest land animals ever discovered, with estimates suggesting it measured about 26 meters (85 feet) in length and weighed around 65 tons.
This massive size provided Dreadnoughtus with protection from predators and allowed it to feed on a wide variety of high vegetation.
Dreadnoughtus belonged to a group of dinosaurs known as titanosaurs, which were among the last and largest of the sauropods.
It had a long neck and tail, a small head, and robust limbs to support its enormous weight.
This dinosaur’s fossils were found in Patagonia, Argentina, providing a rare and nearly complete skeleton that has given scientists valuable insights into the anatomy and lifestyle of these giant creatures.
The name “Dreadnoughtus” means “fears nothing,” reflecting the idea that this dinosaur was so large that it had little to fear from predators.