Hypselosaurus Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 3m |
| Length | 12m |
| Weight | 8 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | France |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 3m |
| Length | 12m |
| Weight | 8 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | France |
Hypselosaurus was a sauropod dinosaur that lived in what is now southern France during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. As a member of the titanosaur group, it would have been a long-necked, plant-eating giant, though our understanding of this dinosaur is limited due to the fragmentary nature of the fossil evidence.
The remains of Hypselosaurus include only a partial hindlimb and two tail vertebrae, making it difficult for palaeontologists to determine its exact size and appearance. Based on comparisons with other titanosaur sauropods, scientists estimate it was around 12 metres long and weighed approximately 8 tonnes. Like other sauropods, it would have had a long neck for reaching high vegetation, a long tail for balance, and walked on four pillar-like legs.
Interestingly, eggshell fragments were discovered near the original Hypselosaurus bones, leading some researchers to attribute various dinosaur eggs found in the same French formation to this species. However, the variation between these eggs suggests they likely belong to different dinosaur species rather than all being from Hypselosaurus.
Hypselosaurus shared its Late Cretaceous French environment with several other dinosaurs, including the fearsome dromaeosaurids Variraptor and Pyroraptor, the duck-billed ornithopod Rhabdodon, and the armoured ankylosaur Rhodanosaurus, painting a picture of a diverse dinosaur ecosystem in ancient Europe.
Due to the limited fossil remains, specific distinguishing features of Hypselosaurus are difficult to determine. As a titanosaur sauropod, it likely had the typical long neck and tail, with four sturdy legs supporting a large body.
Like other sauropods, Hypselosaurus would have spent most of its time feeding on plants, using its long neck to reach vegetation at various heights. The discovery of possible eggshells suggests it may have laid large eggs, though this association remains uncertain.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Saurischia |
| Family | Titanosauridae |
| Genus | Hypselosaurus |
Hypselosaurus was first described by Phillip Matheron in 1869. The original fossils were discovered at Southern France.