Size: Unknown Family: Uncertain First fossils found: Known only from a handful of tail vertebrae Lived: Uncertain
In regards to these things, a handful of tail vertebrae isn't enough to tell us much about how big this dino is. This lack of fossils also makes it difficult to exactly which sauropod family Abdurainurus belongs in. Whilst it's known that the Alagteeg Formation dates back to the Late Cretaceous, palaeontologists haven't determined its exact age.
Here's today's dino: Euskelosaurus
Pronunciation: Yew-skel-o-sore-us Meaning of name: "Good leg lizard". Species: E. browni Size: Estimated to have measured around 10 metres long, between 3 and 4 metres tall and weighing around 1.8 metric tonnes. Family: Plateosauridae. Diet: Herbivore. Likely fed on both high and low-growing vegetation. First fossils found: Known from several specimens discovered in the Lower Elliot Formation of South Africa and the Mpandi Formation of Zimbabwe. First discovered in 1863 and named by English biologist, Thomas Henry Huxley, in 1866. Lived: 237 to 227 million years ago during the Carnian stage of the Late Triassic in what is now southern Africa.
Pronunciation: Ep-e-ky-roe-sten-o-teez Meaning of name: "Above Chirostenotes", because it lived after Chirostenotes. Species: E. curriei Size: Unknown due to a lack of fossils. Family: Caenagnathidae. Diet: Uncertain. Possible omnivore. First fossils found: Known only from a single, fragmentary skeleton discovered in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta, Canada, in 1923. Was originally named as a species of Chirostenotes by German-born American palaeontologist, Hans-Dieter Sues, in 1997. However, further study showed that the fossils belonged to a different animal. Was re-named Epichirostenotes by Robert M. Sullivan, Steven E. Jasinski and Mark P. A. Van Tomme in 2011. Lived: 73 to 71 million years ago during the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous in what is now western Canada.
Pronunciation: Bah-jar-da-sore-us Meaning of name: "Downhill lizard", in reference to the Bajada Colorada Formation where its fossils were discovered. Species: B. pronuspinax Size: Estimated to have measured between 10 and 13 metres long. Height and weight uncertain. Family: Dicraeosauridae. Diet: Herbivore. Likely fed on both high and low-growing vegetation. First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered in the Bajada Colorada Formation of northern Patagonia, Argentina, in 2010. Named by Argentinian palaeontologist, Pablo Gallina, in 2019. The most striking feature of this Sauropod are the elongated spines extending from the back of its neck. Lived: 145 to 132.9 million years ago during the Berriasian and Valanginian stages of the Early Cretaceous in what is now northern Patagonia, Argentina.
Almost a decade ago, a team of palaeontologists discovered the tail of a large dino in northern Mexico. Since then, more bones have been discovered, including a femur, scapula and 80% of the skull, allowing for identification. The dino has been named Tlatolophus and is a species of crested Hadrosaur which lived near the end of the Cretaceous, around 72 million years ago.
Here's today's dino: Chirostenotes
Pronunciation: Ky-ore-sten-o-teez Meaning of name: "Narrow handed". Species: C. pergracilis Size: Estimated to have measured around 2.5 metres long, 1.5 metres tall and weighing 40kgs. Family: Caenagnathidae Diet: Uncertain. Possible omnivore. First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered in the Dinosaur Park Formation of Alberta, Canada, and named by American palaeontologist, Charles Whitney Gilmore, in 1924. (Hands found in 1914. Feet found in 1932 and named Macrophalangia, lower jaws found in 1936 and named Caenagnathus). In 1988, it was discovered that all the fossils actually belonged to the same animal, so Chirostenotes became the official name. Lived: 76.5 million years ago during the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous in what is now western Canada.
Pronunciation: Krit-o-sore-us Meaning of name: "Separated lizard", referring to the arrangement of the cheek bones in an incomplete skull. Species: K. navajovius Size: Estimated to have measured between 9 and 10 metres long and weighing 4 metric tonnes. Family: Saurolophinae (a sub-family of Hadrosauridae) Diet: Herbivore First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered in the Kirtland Formation of New Mexico. Named by American palaeontologist, Barnum Brown, in 1910. Lived: 74.5 to 66 million years ago during the Campanian and Maastrichtian stages of the Late Cretaceous in what is now the southwestern United States.