Tienshanosaurus is an extinct type of dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic period, around 163 to 157 million years ago. This dinosaur is part of a group called sauropods, which are known for their long necks and massive bodies. The name Tienshanosaurus means “Tienshan lizard.”
The only known species of Tienshanosaurus is T. chitaiensis, which was named in 1937. The name comes from a place called Chitai in China, where the remains were discovered.
The discovery of Tienshanosaurus began on September 11, 1928, when a Chinese geology professor named Yuan Fu found the bones of around thirty adult and three juvenile sauropods in Xinjiang, China. They also found a fossilized egg. These bones were later sent to Beijing and became part of a museum collection.
The main parts of Tienshanosaurus that have been found include most of its body, but not its skull or lower jaws. Scientists believe this dinosaur could grow up to twelve meters long.
Over the years, there has been some debate about the exact family classification of Tienshanosaurus. It was once placed in various groups but is now generally accepted to belong to a family called Mamenchisauridae.
Overall, Tienshanosaurus helps us learn about the diversity of dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago in what is now China.