Arrudatitan is an extinct type of dinosaur that belongs to a group called titanosaurs. These dinosaurs lived during the Late Cretaceous period, around 72.1 to 68 million years ago, in what is now Brazil.
The name Arrudatitan means “Arruda’s giant,” and the specific type of Arrudatitan, known as A. maximus, was named in 2011. At first, it was thought to belong to a dinosaur group called Aeolosaurus, but later research in 2021 showed that it should have its own name.
The first fossils of Arrudatitan were discovered in 1997 by a man named Ademir Frare and his nephew while they were exploring a field. They found many bones, including parts of the backbone and legs. Paleontologists took over the study of these fossils and confirmed that they came from a new kind of dinosaur.
Arrudatitan was a relatively slender dinosaur compared to others in its family. When fully grown, it could reach about 15 meters in length, which is about 49 feet. This dinosaur had a large thigh bone (femur) that measured around 1.55 meters, or about 5.1 feet.
Over time, scientists conducted studies to better understand Arrudatitan’s place in the tree of dinosaur families. It was determined that Arrudatitan is closely related to some other dinosaur species, indicating how different kinds of dinosaurs are connected to each other.
Overall, Arrudatitan adds to our knowledge of the diverse and fascinating world of dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.