SPINOPHOROSAURUS
a plant-eating eusauropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Niger.
Pronunciation: SPIEN-o-for-o-SOR-us
Meaning: Spine-bearing lizard
Author/s: Remes
et al. (
2009)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Agadez, Niger
Discovery Chart Position: #687
Spinophorosaurus nigerensis
(Spike-bearing lizard from Niger)Etymology
Spinophorosaurus is derived from the Latin "spina" (spike), and the Greek "phoro" (to bear) and "sauros" (lizard), referring to the spike-bearing
osteoderms (bony plates which are embedded in the skin), probably from the end of its tail.
The
species epithet,
nigerensis, combines "Niger" (the country in which it was discovered) and the Latin "ensis" (from).
ZooBank registry:
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6469BEE5-EA95-4462-A4E5-4B3277411990.
Discovery
Spinophorosaurus was discovered in the lower part of the Irhazer Group just north of Aderbissinat in Thirozerine—a department of the Agadez Region of Niger.
The
holotype, GCP-CV-4229 (Grupo Cultural Paleontolo´gico de Elche) and NMB-1699-R (Naturhistorisches Museum Braunschweig), consists of a partial skull and nearly complete skeleton, lacking the forearms, hands, breast plate and feet.
Estimations
Timeline:
Era: Mesozoic
Epoch: Middle Jurassic
Stage: Aalenian-Bajocian
Age range: 176-167 mya
Stats:
Est. max. length: 13 meters
Est. max. hip height: ?
Est. max. weight: 10 tons
Diet: Herbivore
Spinophorosaurus
nigerensis
References
• Remes K, Ortega F, Fierro I, Joger U, Kosma R, Ferrer JMM, Amadou Ide O, Maga A (2009) "
A New Basal Sauropod Dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Niger and the Early Evolution of Sauropoda".
PLoS ONE, 4(9): e6924. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0006924.
• Knoll F, Witmer LM, Ortega F, Ridgely RC and Daniela Schwarz-Wings D (2012) "
The Braincase of the Basal Sauropod Dinosaur Spinophorosaurus and 3D Reconstructions of the Cranial Endocast and Inner Ear".
PLoS ONE, 7(1): e30060. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0030060.
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To cite this page:
Atkinson, L.
"
SPINOPHOROSAURUS :: from DinoChecker's dinosaur archive".
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http://www.dinochecker.com/dinosaurs/SPINOPHOROSAURUS›. Web access: 06th Mar 2026.
