Cretaceous
Erketu
Erketu ellisoni
The catalogue presents Erketu as a herbivore member of Euhelopodidae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 112.0–100.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 15.0 m in length and 10.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Bayan Shireh Formation, Mongolia. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Erketu, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Ksepka and Norell (2006).
The PBDB places it in Euhelopodidae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Euhelopodidae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Euhelopodidae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range runs from the Cenomanian to the Campanian.
The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the Baynshire Formation (1). Provenance: Mongolia.
The catalogue records the holotype as IGM 100/1803 and the type locality as “Bayan Shireh Formation, Mongolia”.
- IGM 100/1803
- Bayan Shireh Formation, Mongolia
The catalogue's reference measurements are 15.0 m in length and 10.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 15.0 m
- 10.0 tons
The record gathers 10 bibliographic references registered in the PBDB, listed below.
Where it lived
Fossil occurrences on today’s map and in the tectonic reconstruction.
Positions reconstructed by PBDB/GPlates, not observed; this is not an exact habitat map.
Artistic 3D reconstruction
There is no approved species-specific 3D model yet. Generic anatomy will not be presented as if it were evidence.
Physical Specifications
- Length
- 15.0 m
- Weight
- 10.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 112.0–100.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 2006
- Described by
- Daniel Ksepka & Mark Norell
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Euhelopodidae
- Genus
- Erketu
- Species
- E. ellisoni
Data status
Taxonomic name matched to PBDB and checked on 2026-08-08.
Taxonomic linkage does not automatically validate size, mass, behaviour or appearance.
- Type specimen
- IGM 100/1803
- Type locality
- Bayan Shireh Formation, Mongolia