Meet Saltasaurus: The Sauropod with a Shield

Artist impression of a Saltasaurus with nest

Saltasaurus was a medium-sized sauropod dinosaur that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, around 70 million years ago, in what is now Argentina. Unlike the colossal sauropods such as Argentinosaurus or Brachiosaurus, Saltasaurus was relatively small for its group. This dinosaur measured about 12–14 meters (40–46 feet) in length and weighed around 7 tons.

The name Saltasaurus means “lizard from Salta,” referencing the Salta Province in north-western Argentina where its fossils were discovered.

One of the most distinctive features of Saltasaurus was its armour. While most sauropods relied on sheer size for defence, the Saltasaurus was among the first sauropods discovered to have bony plates, also known as osteoderms, embedded in its skin. These small, rounded armour plates likely offered some protection against predators such as large theropods.

Saltasaurus eggshell fragment

In terms of behaviour and lifestyle, Saltasaurus likely lived in herds, this is due to trackways and nesting sites found in South America. Fossilized eggs and nesting grounds associated with them suggest that they laid eggs in large colonies, burying them in the ground or covering them with vegetation for incubation.

As a plant-eater, Saltasaurus fed on low-growing vegetation such as ferns and flowering plants that were abundant during the Late Cretaceous. Its long neck allowed it to sweep wide areas of ground cover while feeding, and its peg-like teeth were suited for stripping leaves rather than chewing.