Duriatitan Facts
Pronunciation: DOOR-ee-ah-TIE-tan
Name meaning: Dorset Titan
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 8m |
| Length | 25m |
| Weight | 40 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Jurassic |
| Period | Late Jurassic |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | England |
Duriatitan was a massive sauropod dinosaur that roamed what is now England during the Late Jurassic period, approximately 154 to 143 million years ago. This enormous herbivore is estimated to have reached lengths of up to 25 metres, making it one of the largest dinosaurs known from British fossils. However, our knowledge of Duriatitan remains limited, as it is known from only a single partial left upper arm bone (humerus) discovered near Weymouth in Dorset.
As a sauropod, Duriatitan would have possessed the classic features of its group: a tremendously long neck for reaching high vegetation, a relatively small head, a barrel-shaped body, and a long tail for balance. Like other sauropods, it walked on four massive, column-like legs that supported its enormous weight. The creature's defining feature is a distinctive crest on its upper arm bone called the deltopectoral crest, which gives the species its name humerocristatus.
Duriatitan lived in a warm, humid environment very different from modern Britain. During the Late Jurassic, the area was covered in lush forests of conifers, ferns, and cycads. This sauropod would have used its long neck to browse on tall trees, stripping leaves and shoots with its peg-like teeth before swallowing them whole to be processed in its massive digestive system.
Originally described as a species of Cetiosaurus in 1874, Duriatitan wasn't recognised as its own genus until 2010, when palaeontologists re-examined the fossil and determined it represented a distinct titanosauriform sauropod. The genus name honours Dorset, derived from the Roman name 'Duria', combined with 'Titan' reflecting its gigantic size.
What made Duriatitan distinctive?
Duriatitan is distinguished primarily by the prominent deltopectoral crest on its upper arm bone, which was unusually well-developed compared to other sauropods. The humerus also shows characteristics typical of titanosauriform sauropods, suggesting it belonged to this advanced group of long-necked dinosaurs.
Behaviour
Like other sauropods, Duriatitan would have spent most of its time feeding, requiring enormous quantities of plant material to fuel its massive body. It likely travelled in herds for protection, as evidenced by trackways of other sauropod species from similar time periods. The creature would have used its long neck to access vegetation at various heights without needing to move its enormous body frequently.
Discovery
Duriatitan was first described by John Hulke in 1874. The original fossils were discovered at Sandsfoot, Weymouth, Dorset, England.
Duriatitan FAQ
What did Duriatitan eat?
Duriatitan was a herbivore that fed on the abundant plant life of
Late Jurassic Britain. It would have used its long neck to reach high into conifer trees, ferns, and cycads, stripping away leaves and shoots with its simple, peg-like teeth. Like other sauropods, it swallowed plant material whole and relied on gastroliths (stomach stones) and gut bacteria to help digest the tough vegetation.
How big was Duriatitan?
Duriatitan is estimated to have reached about 25 metres in length and approximately 8 metres in height at the hips, with a weight of around 40 tonnes. These impressive size estimates are based on comparisons with related sauropods, as Duriatitan is known from only a single arm bone. This makes it one of the largest dinosaurs known from British fossils.
When did Duriatitan live?
Duriatitan lived during the
Late Jurassic period, approximately 154.8 to 143.1 million years ago. This was during the Kimmeridgian to early Tithonian stages, when Britain enjoyed a much warmer, more humid climate than today and was covered in lush forests perfect for supporting giant sauropods.
Where was Duriatitan found?
Duriatitan was discovered near Sandsfoot, Weymouth in Dorset, England. The fossil came from the famous Kimmeridge Clay formation, which has been a rich source of Jurassic marine and terrestrial fossils. The specimen is housed in the Natural History Museum in London under the catalogue number BMNH 44635.
How do you pronounce Duriatitan?
Duriatitan is pronounced 'DOOR-ee-ah-TIE-tan'. The first part 'Duria' comes from the Roman name for Dorset, whilst 'titan' refers to the giant mythological beings, reflecting this dinosaur's enormous size.
What does Duriatitan mean?
Duriatitan means 'Dorset Titan'. The name combines 'Duria', the Latin name for Dorset where the fossil was found, with 'Titan', referring to the giants of Greek mythology. This reflects both the dinosaur's discovery location and its impressive estimated size of 25 metres in length.
How fast could Duriatitan run?
Like other massive sauropods, Duriatitan was not built for speed. Its enormous size and weight would have limited it to a walking pace, probably no more than 5-10 km/h at most. These giants relied on their size for protection rather than speed, and their long necks meant they could feed without needing to move around frequently.
What type of dinosaur was Duriatitan?
Duriatitan was a sauropod dinosaur, specifically classified as a titanosauriform. Sauropods were the largest land animals that ever lived, characterised by their extremely long necks, small heads, massive bodies, and long tails. Titanosauriforms were an advanced group of sauropods that became particularly successful during the Cretaceous period.
Was Duriatitan related to birds?
As a sauropod, Duriatitan belonged to the saurischian ('lizard-hipped') dinosaurs, the same major group that gave rise to birds. However, sauropods were on a completely different evolutionary branch from the theropod dinosaurs that actually evolved into birds. So whilst Duriatitan shared a common ancestor with birds, it was quite distantly related to them.
How many Duriatitan fossils have been found?
Only one Duriatitan fossil has ever been found - a partial left upper arm bone (humerus) discovered in the 1870s near Weymouth, Dorset. This makes Duriatitan what palaeontologists call a 'nomen dubium' - a name of doubtful validity due to insufficient fossil evidence. More fossils would be needed to confirm its status as a distinct genus.
