Titanosaurs were a unique group of sauropod dinosaurs that flourished by merging reptilian and mammalian traits. They were distributed worldwide, exhibited rapid growth rates, and were the largest land animals Earth has ever seen. Despite their long reign and diversity, their existence was halted by the asteroid impact that marked the end of the dinosaur age.
Main Points
Diversity in size
Titanosaurs were a diverse group of sauropod dinosaurs known for their vast size differences, from the largest sauropods on Earth to smaller species comparable in size to an African elephant.
Rapid growth rates
Unlike their ancestors, titanosaurs displayed remarkably rapid growth rates, similar to those seen in mammals, reaching their enormous sizes within decades.
Global dominance
Titanosaurs thrived worldwide due to their unique combination of reptilian and mammalian traits, suggesting they could have continued thriving if not for the asteroid impact.
Insights
Titanosaurs merged the best characteristics of reptiles and mammals.
The secret to titanosaurs’ remarkable biological success may be how they merged the best of both reptile and mammal characteristics to form a unique way of life.
Titanosaurs were widespread across all continents.
Not only were they large and in charge on all seven continents, they held their own amid the newly evolved duck-billed and horned dinosaurs.
Rapid growth rates similar to mammals.
Bone data shows titanosaur growth rates were on par with mammals like whales—much, much faster than any living reptile—meaning they would have reached their enormous adult sizes in just a few decades.
Links
- Brachiosaurus, Apatosaurus and Diplodocus
- animals destined to go extinct
- titanosaurs flourished
- all seven continents
- asteroid struck Earth
- originated by the Early Cretaceous Period
- Argentinosaurus
- Patagotitan
- Futalognkosaurus
- Rinconsaurus
- Saltasaurus
- Magyarosaurus
- eggs no bigger than grapefruits
- skin impressions from ancient embryos
- returned to this site repeatedly
- A titanosaur hatchling
- used reptilian growth rates to predict their milestones
- study titanosaurs' bones at high magnification
- growth rates, anomalies and even age
- in just a few decades
- and eggshells
- ranging from about 95°F to 100.5°F
- as warm as 104°F
- dining on plants found lower to the ground
- ground-level plants all the way up to the leaves and branches of trees
- about every 20 days
- asteroid impact 66 million years ago
- original article
- Titanosaurs were the biggest land animals Earth's ever seen, combining reptile and mammal traits (2024, March 8) retrieved 16 March 2024
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URL
https://phys.org/news/2024-03-titanosaurs-biggest-animals-earth-combining.html