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News Release 16-046

Newly discovered baby Titanosaur sheds light on dinosaurs' early lives

Long-necked sauropod dinosaurs include the largest animals ever to walk on land

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A baby Rapetosaurus stands alongside a dog, elephant, rhino and hippo

A baby Rapetosaurus stands alongside other young mammals of today for size comparison.

Credit: Demetrios Vital


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A comparison of an adult Rapetosaurus, a baby Rapetosaurus and a human.

A comparison of an adult Rapetosaurus, a baby Rapetosaurus and a human.

Credit: Kristi Curry Rogers


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silhouette of a woman, Rapetosaurus at hatching and a neonate, with its femur at different ages

Rapetosaurus at hatching (gray) and a neonate (color), with its femur scaled to that of an adult.

Credit: Kristi Curry Rogers


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A sculpture of the baby Rapetosaurus

A sculpture of the baby Rapetosaurus shows its approximate size in life.

Credit: Kristi Curry Rogers


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skeleton bones of the baby Rapetosaurus, including several vertebrae from the hip and tail.

The preserved skeleton of the baby Rapetosaurus, including several vertebrae from the hip and tail.

Credit: Kristi Curry Rogers


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CT scans and bones of Rapetosaurus

CT scans, other evidence indicate that Rapetosaurus grew quickly; arrow marks moment of hatching.

Credit: Kristi Curry Rogers


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An NSF-funded team from Macalester College, used a high-powered CT scanner and microscopes to study thin-sections of the tibia and limb bones of the Rapetosaurus. They discovered that these baby behemoths were active, capable of a wider array of maneuvers than adult members of their species and didn't need parental care after hatching.

Credit: National Science Foundation/Macalester College