Barosaurus

heavy lizard

• baros · Greek · weight, heavy
• sauros · Greek · lizard

Barosaurus comes from the Greek words "baros" (weight or heavy) and "sauros" (lizard), so it means "heavy lizard". Othniel Charles Marsh chose the name in 1890 for a large long-necked sauropod known from fragmentary remains from South Dakota. The name refers to its great size and weight.

Named by

Marsh

Year named

1890

Period

Late Jurassic

Stages

Kimmeridgian – Tithonian

Found in

Morrison Formation, western USA (South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming); possibly also Tendaguru Formation, Tanzania, if referred material is included

A diplodocid sauropod. The type species is Barosaurus lentus. The African species "Barosaurus africanus" from Tanzania is now usually placed in its own genus, Tornieria, so its assignment is disputed.