Cretaceous Herbivore Sauropods

Argentinosaurus huinculensis

Argentinosaurus huinculensis

Pronunciation: [ar-JEN-tee-no-SORE-us hwin-koo-LEN-sis] Meaning: “Argentine lizard of Plaza Huincul”

One of the largest land animals in Earth history, this colossal titanosaur shook the Cretaceous plains of South America with dorsal vertebrae measuring over 1.5 meters high.

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Computer-modeled and mounted skeletal reconstruction of the colossal titanosaur Argentinosaurus huinculensis at the Museo Municipal Carmen Funes.
Verified Museum Specimen
MLP-DP 01-XII-10-1 / PVPH-1 reconstructed skeletal mount • Museo Municipal Carmen Funes, Plaza Huincul, Argentina
Photo: Sellers et al. / PLoS ONE (CC BY 2.5) (CC BY 2.5) • Specimen Record ↗

Specimen Field Matrix

Empirical morphological and stratigraphical records
Geologic Period Cretaceous
Temporal Range Late Cretaceous, 96–92 Ma
Dietary Guild Herbivore
Taxonomic Clade Sauropods
Total Length 35 m (114.8 ft)
Standing Height 15 m (49.2 ft)
Body Mass Estimate 70,000 kg (70 t / 154,323 lbs)
Locomotion Quadrupedal
Fossil Localities Neuquén Province, Argentina
Stratigraphic Formations Huincul Formation
Field Dispatch & Natural History

Paleontological Overview

One of the largest land animals in Earth history, this colossal titanosaur shook the Cretaceous plains of South America with dorsal vertebrae measuring over 1.5 meters high.

Argentinosaurus huinculensis was described from fossil material recovered in the Huincul Formation.

Biomechanical Proportions

Human Scale Comparison

Proportional anatomical comparison between an average adult human (1.8 m / 5.9 ft) and Argentinosaurus huinculensis (35 m / 114.8 ft length, 15 m / 49.2 ft standing height).

Ground Level (0.0 m) 1.8 m (5.9 ft) Length: 35 m (114.8 ft) 15 m height
Adult Human: 1.8 m (5.9 ft)
Argentinosaurus huinculensis: 35 m (114.8 ft) length • 15 m (49.2 ft) standing height
Paleogeography & Stratigraphy

Where & When It Lived

Geographic Range & Habitat

South America
Fossil Deposit Localities:
Neuquén Province, Argentina
Geological Formations:
Huincul Formation

Fossil specimens of this species have been recovered from terrestrial floodplains, ancient river channels, and coastal sandstone facies deposited during continental rifting and tectonic reconfigurations.

Geologic Epoch & Chronology

Cretaceous Period Late Cretaceous, 96–92 Ma

Radiometric dating of volcanic ash layers (bentonite horizons) places this taxon between 96 and 92 million years before the present.

Visual Archives

Specimen & Life Restoration Gallery

Verified Museum Specimen MLP-DP 01-XII-10-1 / PVPH-1 reconstructed skeletal mount
Biomechanical Profile Museo Municipal Carmen Funes, Plaza Huincul, Argentina
Scientific Bibliography

Peer-Reviewed References & Institutional Literature

Monographs and peer-reviewed taxonomic papers for this record are compiled from international paleontological journals and museum collections.

Scientific data peer-reviewed and verified on March 25, 2026 • Dinosaurs Facts Paleontological Registry
Mesozoic Kinship

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