Astrodon Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 9m |
| Length | 20m |
| Weight | 20 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | Eastern United States |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 9m |
| Length | 20m |
| Weight | 20 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | Eastern United States |
Astrodon was a massive sauropod dinosaur that roamed the eastern United States during the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 143 to 120 million years ago. This enormous herbivore measured an impressive 20 metres in length and stood 9 metres tall at its highest point, making it one of the largest land animals of its time. With its characteristic long neck and tail, Astrodon exemplified the classic sauropod body plan that dominated prehistoric landscapes.
Living in what is now Maryland and neighbouring states, Astrodon inhabited a warm, humid environment filled with primitive flowering plants and towering conifers. The dinosaur's fossils have been discovered primarily in the Arundel Formation, which provides valuable insights into Early Cretaceous ecosystems. As a plant-eater, Astrodon would have used its elongated neck to reach vegetation at various heights, from ground-level ferns to tall tree canopies.
Weighing approximately 20 tonnes, this gentle giant moved slowly across ancient floodplains and forests, likely travelling in small groups for protection against predators. Its distinctive teeth, which gave the dinosaur its name meaning 'star tooth', were perfectly adapted for stripping leaves and soft plant material. The star-shaped wear patterns on these teeth reveal important details about Astrodon's feeding behaviour and diet.
Astrodon possessed distinctive spoon-shaped teeth with characteristic star-shaped wear patterns that gave the dinosaur its name. Its relatively robust build and shorter neck compared to some other sauropods made it well-suited for mid-level browsing in dense Cretaceous forests.
Astrodon likely lived in small herds, using its long neck to browse vegetation at different heights whilst remaining alert for predators. Evidence suggests these sauropods may have migrated seasonally following food sources across the ancient eastern North American landscape.
Astrodon was first described by Christopher Johnston in 1859. The original fossils were discovered at Arundel Formation, Maryland, USA.