Argyrosaurus is a type of dinosaur known as a titanosaurian sauropod. These dinosaurs were plant-eaters and lived in the Late Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago in what is now Argentina.
**Discovery and Naming**
Argyrosaurus was first described by a scientist named Richard Lydekker in 1893. The main fossil that helped scientists understand this dinosaur was a large left forelimb found by the Chico River. This forelimb included bones like the humerus, ulna, radius, and several other bones in the hand.
At first, it was thought that there might have been a full dinosaur skeleton found. Unfortunately, while digging, the rest of the skeleton was damaged and lost. Some other bones were also found later, including parts of the femur and tail bones, but the original forelimb remains the most significant find.
Over the years, scientists have found several other bones, some of which were thought to belong to Argyrosaurus. In 1929, another scientist named Friedrich von Huene studied more fossils and connected them to Argyrosaurus. However, a lot of the bones referred to this dinosaur ended up being unclear or were given to a different dinosaur, now called Elaltitan.
The name Argyrosaurus comes from Greek words meaning “silver lizard.” This name was inspired by the region in Argentina where it was discovered, known for its silver.
**Description**
Argyrosaurus was a medium-sized dinosaur, estimated to be around 17 meters long and weighing about 12 tonnes. Some estimates suggest it could have been larger, reaching up to 28 meters and weighing between 43 to 50 tonnes. More recent ideas estimate it at 21 meters long and about 26 tonnes in weight.
This dinosaur has unique features that set it apart from others of its kind:
– The inside of the humerus (a bone in the arm) has a wide ridge that sticks out.
– The middle section of this arm bone is very narrow.
– The end of the radius (another arm bone) is only slightly wider than its middle section.
– The radius has a triangular shape when looked at from one end.
– The bones in the hand are very long compared to other dinosaurs.
Overall, Argyrosaurus helps us learn about the variety of giant dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.