Abydosaurus is a fascinating type of dinosaur known as a brachiosaurid sauropod. This dinosaur lived during the Early Cretaceous period, around 104.5 million years ago.
The name Abydosaurus means “Abydos lizard.” It was named in 2010 by a scientist named Daniel Chure and his team, and they discovered its fossils in northeastern Utah, USA.
One interesting thing about Abydosaurus is that it is one of the few sauropods, which are long-necked dinosaurs, that has a skull fossil. This skull is special because it was the first complete skull found for a Cretaceous sauropod in the Americas. The fossils include a nearly complete skull, lower jaw, and several neck bones. They were discovered in a sandstone bed that dates back to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
The name Abydosaurus is linked to Egyptian mythology. There was an ancient city called Abydos in Egypt, where the head and neck of a god named Osiris were said to be buried. Since the fossils of Abydosaurus were found overlooking the Green River, the name seemed fitting.
Abydosaurus is known for its unique features. While it lived millions of years after another dinosaur called Giraffatitan, their skulls look similar. However, Abydosaurus had narrower and sharper teeth and a smaller nose compared to Giraffatitan. It also had distinct differences in its nasal bones and nostrils.
This dinosaur could grow to be about 60 feet long, which is quite impressive. Overall, Abydosaurus helps us understand more about the variety of dinosaurs that lived during its time and their unique characteristics.