Opisthocoelicaudia Facts
Pronunciation: oh-PISS-tho-see-lee-CAW-dee-ah
Name meaning: Posterior cavity tail
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 4m |
| Length | 12m |
| Weight | 15 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Sauropod |
| Location | Mongolia |
Opisthocoelicaudia was a remarkable sauropod dinosaur that roamed the ancient landscapes of Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 72 million years ago. Discovered in the vast Gobi Desert in 1965 by a joint Polish-Mongolian expedition, this dinosaur has provided scientists with one of the most complete sauropod skeletons from the Late Cretaceous, despite missing its head and neck.
Measuring between 11-12 metres in length, Opisthocoelicaudia was relatively modest in size compared to some of its sauropod relatives. Like all sauropods, it would have possessed the characteristic long neck, small head, barrel-shaped body, and four sturdy, column-like legs that supported its considerable bulk. However, what truly sets this dinosaur apart are the unique features of its tail vertebrae, which were concave on their rear surfaces—a condition that gives the dinosaur its distinctive name.
As a herbivore, Opisthocoelicaudia would have spent much of its time browsing on the diverse plant life of its Mongolian habitat. Its diet likely consisted of conifers, ferns, and other vegetation available during the Late Cretaceous. The missing head and neck of the original specimen tell a fascinating story—tooth marks on the skeleton suggest that large carnivorous dinosaurs fed on the carcass and likely dragged away these parts.
Perhaps most intriguingly, the unique structure of its tail and hip bones has led researchers to propose that Opisthocoelicaudia may have been capable of rearing up on its hind legs, possibly to reach higher vegetation or for defensive purposes—an unusual ability amongst sauropods.
What made Opisthocoelicaudia distinctive?
Opisthocoelicaudia is distinguished by its unusual tail vertebrae that were concave on their rear surfaces, giving the dinosaur its name. Its robust hip and leg bones suggest it may have been able to rear up on its hind legs, unlike most other sauropods.
Behaviour
Opisthocoelicaudia likely spent most of its time browsing on vegetation, using its long neck to reach different plant heights. The structure of its skeleton suggests it may have been capable of rearing up on its hind legs, possibly for feeding on taller plants or as a defensive behaviour when threatened by predators.
Opisthocoelicaudia FAQ
What did Opisthocoelicaudia eat?
Opisthocoelicaudia was a herbivore that fed on the plant life available in
Late Cretaceous Mongolia. Its diet would have included conifers, ferns, cycads, and other vegetation. Like other sauropods, it would have used its long neck to browse at different heights, though its ability to rear up may have given it access to particularly tall plants.
How big was Opisthocoelicaudia?
Opisthocoelicaudia was a medium-sized sauropod, measuring approximately 11-12 metres in length and standing about 4 metres tall at the hip. It weighed an estimated 15 tonnes, making it relatively small compared to giants like
Brontosaurus or
Diplodocus.
When did Opisthocoelicaudia live?
Opisthocoelicaudia lived during the
Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 72.2 million years ago. This places it in the latter part of the Age of Dinosaurs, not long before the mass extinction event that ended the Mesozoic Era.
Where was Opisthocoelicaudia found?
Opisthocoelicaudia was discovered in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia by a joint Polish-Mongolian scientific expedition in 1965. The Gobi Desert has proven to be one of the world's richest sources of dinosaur fossils, with its arid conditions helping to preserve remains exceptionally well.
How do you pronounce Opisthocoelicaudia?
Opisthocoelicaudia is pronounced 'oh-PISS-tho-see-lee-CAW-dee-ah'. The name can be quite tricky to say at first, but breaking it down into syllables helps: O-pis-tho-coe-li-cau-dia.
What does Opisthocoelicaudia mean?
Opisthocoelicaudia means 'posterior cavity tail' in Latin. This name refers to the distinctive shape of its tail vertebrae, which had concave surfaces on their rear ends—an unusual feature that distinguishes this dinosaur from other sauropods.
How fast could Opisthocoelicaudia run?
Like most sauropods, Opisthocoelicaudia was not built for speed. Its massive size and four-legged stance would have limited it to a walking pace, probably no faster than 5-10 km/h at most. These dinosaurs relied on their size for protection rather than speed.
What type of dinosaur was Opisthocoelicaudia?
Opisthocoelicaudia was a sauropod dinosaur, belonging to the family Saltasauridae. Sauropods were the largest land animals that ever lived, characterised by their long necks, small heads, massive bodies, and four pillar-like legs.
Was Opisthocoelicaudia related to birds?
Opisthocoelicaudia, being a sauropod, was not closely related to birds. Birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs, whilst sauropods like Opisthocoelicaudia belonged to a different major group called sauropodomorphs. However, all dinosaurs share common ancestry, so there is a distant evolutionary connection.
How many Opisthocoelicaudia fossils have been found?
Only three specimens of Opisthocoelicaudia have been discovered to date. The most complete is the original skeleton found in 1965, which includes most of the body except the head and neck. The other two specimens are much more fragmentary, consisting of shoulder parts and tail pieces.
