Rapetosaurus

Rapeto lizard (lizard of Rapeto, a Malagasy giant)

• Rapeto · Malagasy · a giant in Malagasy folklore
• sauros · Greek · lizard

The name honours Rapeto, a mischievous giant in Malagasy folklore, combined with the Greek word for lizard. It was chosen because the animal was a huge sauropod found on Madagascar. The type species is Rapetosaurus krausei, named for Dave Krause, who led the expeditions that found it.

Named by

Curry Rogers and Forster

Year named

2001

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Maastrichtian

Found in

Maevarano Formation, Mahajanga Basin, Madagascar

A titanosaurian sauropod known from very good material, including a nearly complete skull and juvenile specimens.