Cretaceous
Opisthocoelicaudia
Opisthocoelicaudia skarzynskii
The catalogue presents Opisthocoelicaudia as a herbivore member of Nemegtosauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 70.0–66.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 11.0–13.0 m in length and 10.0–25.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Nemegt Formation, Mongolia. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Opisthocoelicaudia, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Borsuk-Bialynicka (1977).
The PBDB places it in Opisthocoelicaudiinae, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Nemegtosauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Nemegtosauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Maastrichtian.
The PBDB catalogues 1 occurrence, with material from the Nemegt Formation (1). Provenance: Mongolia.
The catalogue records the holotype as ZPAL MgD-I/48 and the type locality as “Nemegt Formation, Mongolia”.
- ZPAL MgD-I/48
- Nemegt Formation, Mongolia
The catalogue's reference measurements are 11.0–13.0 m in length and 10.0–25.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 11.0-13.0 m
- 10.0-25.0 tons
The record gathers 55 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
- 11.0–13.0 m
- Weight
- 10.0–25.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 70.0–66.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1977
- Described by
- Maria Borsuk-Białynicka
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Nemegtosauridae
- Genus
- Opisthocoelicaudia
- Species
- O. skarzynskii
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
- ZPAL MgD-I/48
- Type locality
- Nemegt Formation, Mongolia