| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 4m |
| Length | 12m |
| Weight | 8 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | Brazil |
Itapeuasaurus was a remarkable sauropod that lived approximately 100.5 million years ago during the Early Cretaceous period in what is now Brazil. This impressive herbivore represents one of the most significant discoveries in South American palaeontology, being the most complete Cenomanian-aged diplodocoid known from the continent and the first reported rebbachisaurid of this age discovered in South America.
Measuring around 12 metres in length and standing approximately 4 metres high at the hip, Itapeuasaurus would have been a formidable presence in the ancient forests of Brazil. Like other sauropods, it possessed the characteristic long neck that allowed it to reach high into the tree canopy to browse on vegetation that other dinosaurs couldn't access. Its powerful limbs supported its estimated 8-tonne body weight as it moved through the Cretaceous landscape.
The discovery of Itapeuasaurus in the Alcântara Formation of Maranhão has provided scientists with invaluable insights into the diversity and evolution of sauropods in South America. As a member of the rebbachisaurid group, it belonged to a family of sauropods that were particularly successful during the Cretaceous period, developing unique adaptations for processing plant material.
Itapeuasaurus possessed the typical sauropod features of an extremely long neck, small head, and massive body supported by four pillar-like legs. As a rebbachisaurid, it would have had distinctive vertebral features and possibly a relatively shorter tail compared to other sauropod groups.
Itapeuasaurus likely spent most of its time browsing on high vegetation, using its long neck to reach treetops and strip leaves from branches. As a large herbivore, it would have moved in small groups across the landscape, constantly foraging to meet its enormous dietary requirements.
Itapeuasaurus was first described by Elaine Batista Machado and colleagues in 2021. The original fossils were discovered at Alcântara Formation, Maranhão, Brazil.
