Rebbachisaurus
Rebbachisaurus garasbae
Rebbachisaurus (meaning "Aït Rebbach lizard") is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in what is now Africa during the Late Cretaceous period, between 99 and 97 million years ago. The only valid species is R. garasbae. However, two other species have been assigned to the genus; R. tessonei, now Limaysaurus tessonei, and the nomen dubium R. tamesnensis. Known from a single, incomplete skeleton, much of R. garasbae's anatomy is unknown. The skeleton, discovered in 1948, was unearthed in the Errachidia Province of Morocco from strata of the Kem Kem Beds.
Like other rebbachisaurids, Rebbachisaurus was a four-legged herbivore with a long neck ending in a relatively large head. Although once thought to be as long as 20 meters (66 ft) in length, more recent estimates place it at 14 meters (46 ft) long and weighing 7–12 metric tons (7.7–13.2 short tons). This would make it among the largest known rebbachisaurids. Its dorsal vertebrae are characterized by their tall neural spines and large pleurocoels, which held extensive air sacs. Its vertebrae are very tall and reach up to 150 centimeters (59 in) tall, while those of South American rebbachisaurids get to only around 50 centimeters (20 in). Its humerus is somewhat robust for a rebbachisaurid, with an estimated complete length of 100–105 centimeters (39–41 in) and a greatly expanded proximal (towards body) end.
Rebbachisaurus is the type genus of the family Rebbachisauridae, though its exact relation to other members is uncertain. Being a rebbachisaurid, Rebbachisaurus was likely a generalist or ground-height browser. Many gigantic theropods are known from North Africa during this period, including Carcharodontosaurus, Spinosaurus, and Deltadromeus, while Rebbachisaurus is the only named sauropod from the Kem Kem Beds.…
- Family
- Rebbachisauridae
- Order
- Saurischia
- Period
- Cretaceous (99.0–93.0 Ma)
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Length
- 18.0–20.0 m
- Weight
- 12.0–20.0 t
- Type locality
- Kem Kem Formation, Morocco
- Holotype
- MNHN MRS-1
- PBDB
- txn:38679