Cretaceous
Saltasaurus
Saltasaurus loricatus
The catalogue presents Saltasaurus as a herbivore member of Saltasauridae that lived during the Cretaceous, between 70.0–66.0 Ma. Its estimated range is 12.0 m in length and 6.0–7.0 t in mass, giving a practical sense of scale. Reference material comes from Lecho Formation, Salta, Argentina. Size and mass are approximations and may change with new fossils or methods.
Evidence-backed summary
For Saltasaurus, the PBDB records the taxonomic attribution as Bonaparte and Powell (1980).
The PBDB places it in Saltasaurini, 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 1 occurrence, with material from the Lecho Formation (1). Provenance: Argentina.
The catalogue records the holotype as PVL 4017-92 and the type locality as “Lecho Formation, Salta, Argentina”.
- PVL 4017-92
- Lecho Formation, Salta, Argentina
The catalogue's reference measurements are 12.0 m in length and 6.0–7.0 t in mass — estimates, which vary with specimen and method.
- 12.0 m
- 6.0-7.0 tons
The record gathers 60 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
- 12.0 m
- Weight
- 6.0–7.0 t
- Period
- Cretaceous
- Time range
- 70.0–66.0 Ma
Discovery Information
- First Discovery
- 1980
- Described by
- José Bonaparte & Jaime Powell
Taxonomic Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Saurischia
- Family
- Saltasauridae
- Genus
- Saltasaurus
- Species
- S. loricatus
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
- PVL 4017-92
- Type locality
- Lecho Formation, Salta, Argentina