Cretaceous
Rapetosaurus
Rapetosaurus krausei
The catalogue presents Rapetosaurus as a herbivore member of Saltasauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 70.0–66.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 15.0 m in length and 8.0–10.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Maevarano Formation, Madagascar. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Rapetosaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Curry Rogers and Forster (2001).
The PBDB places it in Saltasauroidea, and the catalogue record assigns it to the family Saltasauridae.
- PBDB · taxon.parent
- Saltasauridae
In the PBDB record, the reported stratigraphic range is the Maastrichtian.
The PBDB catalogues 5 occurrences, with material from the Maevarano Formation (5). Provenance: Madagascar.
The catalogue records the holotype as FMNH PR2209 and the type locality as “Maevarano Formation, Madagascar”.
- FMNH PR2209
- Maevarano Formation, Madagascar
The catalogue's reference measurements are 15.0 m in length and 8.0–10.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 15.0 m
- 8.0-10.0 tons
The record gathers 23 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
- 8.0–10.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 70.0–66.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 2001
- Described by
- Kristina Curry Rogers & Catherine Forster
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Saltasauridae
- Genus
- Rapetosaurus
- Species
- R. krausei
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
- FMNH PR2209
- Type locality
- Maevarano Formation, Madagascar