Baalsaurus is a type of dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, which was about 91 to 88 million years ago. This dinosaur was found in Neuquén Province, located in Patagonia, Argentina.
The name “Baalsaurus” comes from a fossil site named Baal and is linked to the ancient Phoenician god Baal.
The one known species of Baalsaurus is called B. mansillai. This name honors Juan Eduardo Mansilla, the person who discovered the dinosaur while working at a museum.
Baalsaurus is part of a group of dinosaurs known as titanosaurian sauropods. These were massive, plant-eating dinosaurs with long necks and tails.
The main fossil discovered is mostly a complete lower jaw, which is called a dentary. What makes Baalsaurus interesting is that its jaw is squared off rather than curved, and the teeth are crowded at the front, which makes it look somewhat like the jaws of other dinosaurs such as Antarctosaurus, Brasilotitan, and Bonitasaura.
Currently, the Baalsaurus fossil is housed at the Geology and Paleontology Museum of the National University of Comahue, located near Barreales Lake in Argentina.