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Gigantic long-necked sauropod walking in side view
Life reconstruction of the giant titanosaur Argentinosaurus huinculensis.Image credit: TotalDino, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsCC BY 4.0Source (opens in a new tab)

Argentinosaurus huinculensis

Pronounced ar-jen-TEE-noh-SORE-us hwin-koo-LEN-sis

Titanosauria

A titanosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina, and one of the heaviest land animals known, estimated at 65 to 75 tonnes. It is known from only a few enormous bones: back vertebrae, part of the hip and a lower leg bone.

  • Giant
  • Long necked
  • Quadrupedal
Compare
Period
Cretaceous· Cenomanian
Diet
Herbivore
Length
30–35 m
Mass
65,000–83,000 kg
Location
Neuquén Province, Argentina

Quick answers

How big was Argentinosaurus huinculensis?
Argentinosaurus huinculensis was about 30–35 m long. It stood about 4.8–5.5 m tall at the hips. It weighed about 65–83 t. (Wikipedia: Argentinosaurus 2026; Paul 2016)
When did Argentinosaurus huinculensis live?
Argentinosaurus huinculensis lived during the Late Cretaceous, about 100.5–89.8 million years ago. (Cohen et al. 2023; Garrido 2010)
Where have Argentinosaurus huinculensis fossils been found?
Fossils of Argentinosaurus huinculensis have been found in Huincul Formation (Neuquén Province) and Argentina. (Bonaparte & Coria 1993; Paul 2019)
What did Argentinosaurus huinculensis eat?
Argentinosaurus huinculensis was a herbivore. (Bonaparte & Coria 1993; Paul 2019)
Who named Argentinosaurus huinculensis, and when?
Argentinosaurus huinculensis was described by José F. Bonaparte & Rodolfo A. Coria in 1993. (Bonaparte & Coria 1993; Paleobiology Database: Argentinosaurus occurr… 2026)

On this page

Period
Cretaceous100.5–89.8 Ma
Diet
Herbivore
Length
30–35 m
Mass
65–83 t
Location
Argentina
Classification
Titanosauria
Described
1993, José F. Bonaparte & Rodolfo A. Coria

Overview

Argentinosaurus huinculensis lived in what is now Neuquén Province, Argentina, in the Late Cretaceous. A rancher, Guillermo Heredia, found its first bone in 1987 on the Las Overas farm near Plaza Huincul, and José Bonaparte and Rodolfo Coria named it in 1993. The fossils are kept at the Museo Carmen Funes in Plaza Huincul.

Only a small part of the skeleton is known: seven back (dorsal) vertebrae, five hip (sacral) vertebrae, rib fragments and a fibula from the lower leg. The back vertebrae are much larger and longer than those of any other described titanosaur, which is why most researchers rank it among the largest land animals of all time.

Its size can only be estimated from these bones and from better-known relatives. Gregory Paul (2019) estimated 65 to 75 tonnes; a computer model of the museum reconstruction gave about 83 tonnes (Sellers et al. 2013). The same study simulated its walk and found that such a giant could move, but only at a slow pace.

Name meaning

"Argentine lizard", from Argentina and Greek sauros; huinculensis refers to Plaza Huincul, the town near the find (Bonaparte & Coria 1993).

Biology & evidence

What scientists think about how this animal lived, and how strong the evidence for each idea is.

Locomotion

  • Argentinosaurus could walk, but only at a slow pace.

    Evidence level: Hypothesis

    A computer model with estimated muscles managed to walk; its best gait was slow. The result depends on many assumed soft-tissue values.

    Evidence for / against · 1
    Evidence for

    • Biomechanical model · Argentinosaurus gait simulation

      A musculoskeletal model evolved a walking gait; its best speed is equivalent to a slow human walk in dimensionless terms.

Other

  • Argentinosaurus is known from only a small part of its skeleton.

    Evidence level: Direct evidence

    The holotype consists of back and hip vertebrae, rib fragments and a lower leg bone; the rest of the body is reconstructed from relatives.

    Evidence for / against · 1
    Evidence for

    • Specimen · Argentinosaurus holotype vertebrae

      Seven dorsal and five sacral vertebrae whose centra are much longer and bulkier than those of Patagotitan, Puertasaurus, Notocolossus, Dreadnoughtus or Futalognkosaurus.

      Specimen: MCF-PVPH-1

  • Argentinosaurus was one of the heaviest land animals that ever lived.

    Evidence level: Moderate evidence

    Its back vertebrae are larger than those of any other described titanosaur, and different methods give 65 to more than 80 tonnes. Because so little of the skeleton is known, the exact figure is uncertain.

    Evidence for / against · 3
    Evidence for

    • Specimen · Argentinosaurus holotype vertebrae

      Seven dorsal and five sacral vertebrae whose centra are much longer and bulkier than those of Patagotitan, Puertasaurus, Notocolossus, Dreadnoughtus or Futalognkosaurus.

      Specimen: MCF-PVPH-1

    • Biomechanical model · Argentinosaurus volumetric mass model

      A volumetric model built on a skeletal restoration gives 65-75 tonnes.

      Specimen: MCF-PVPH-1

    • Biomechanical model · Argentinosaurus convex-hull model of the Carmen Funes reconstruction

      A LiDAR scan of the museum reconstruction, convex-hulled segment by segment, gives a body mass of 83,230 kg.

Size

Length
30–35 m

(114.8 ft)

Based on MCF-PVPH-1

Height
5 mpublished range 4.8–5.5 m

(16.4 ft)

Based on MCF-PVPH-1 (femur shaft only)

Mass
65,000–83,000 kg

Based on MCF-PVPH-1

Argentinosaurus huinculensis was about 35 m (114.8 ft) long, roughly 19.4 times the height of a 1.8 m adult human.

Timeline

Lived from about 100.5 to 89.8 million years ago (Ma), within the Mesozoic era (252–66 Ma).

Periods: Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma), Turonian (93.9–89.8 Ma), Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma)

Stage bounds (ICS 2023/09) of the Cenomanian-Turonian: the Huincul Formation is usually placed in the upper Cenomanian-lower Turonian (Garrido 2010). The 1993 description and PBDB still give a Middle Albian age (110.1-106.3 Ma); the dispute is noted, not averaged.

Location

Formations

Map data: Natural Earth (public domain). Modern positions, not where the continents were then.

These are the places where fossils have been found, not the full area where the animal lived.

Ecosystem

Lived in: Huincul

river system, floodplain

Seasonally dry plains crossed by ephemeral or seasonal streams in the Neuquén Basin of northern Patagonia. Its age is disputed (Albian in older works, Cenomanian-Turonian in recent ones), so no age is recorded here.

Classification

  1. cladeDinosauria
  2. cladeSaurischia
  3. cladeSauropodomorpha
  4. cladeSauropoda
  5. cladeMacronaria
  6. cladeTitanosauria
  7. genusArgentinosaurus
  8. speciesArgentinosaurus huinculensis

Taxonomic status: Valid

Fossil record

Reconstructed Argentinosaurus huinculensis skeleton at the Museo Municipal Carmen Funes, Plaza Huincul, Argentina.Image credit: William Irvin Sellers, Lee Margetts, Rodolfo Aníbal Coria, Phillip Lars Manning, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons, Museo Municipal Carmen FunesCC BY 2.5Source (opens in a new tab)
Specimens
Catalog numberStatusInstitutionFound
MCF-PVPH-1HolotypeMuseo Municipal Carmen Funes (MCF)1987
MLP-DP 46-VIII-21-3Referred specimenMuseo de La Plata (MLP)—

What has been found

Holotype: MCF-PVPH-1

  • Preserved
  • Partial
  • Reconstructed
  • Unknown / not recorded

Holotype: MCF-PVPH-1

Region by region (table)
Skeleton regions of Holotype: MCF-PVPH-1
RegionState
SkullUnknown / not recorded
MandibleUnknown / not recorded
TeethUnknown / not recorded
Cervical vertebraeUnknown / not recorded
Dorsal vertebraePartial · Seven dorsal vertebrae, six with centra (Paul 2019).
SacrumPartial · Five sacral vertebrae.
Caudal vertebraeUnknown / not recorded
RibsPartial · Rib fragments (secondary source).
GastraliaUnknown / not recorded
Scapula / shoulder girdleUnknown / not recorded
HumerusUnknown / not recorded
Forearm (radius / ulna)Unknown / not recorded
Hand (manus)Unknown / not recorded
PelvisUnknown / not recorded
FemurUnknown / not recorded
Tibia / fibulaPartial · A fibula, first identified as a tibia (lower leg; no separate fibula region in the ontology).
Foot (pes)Unknown / not recorded

Referred specimen: MLP-DP 46-VIII-21-3

Region by region (table)
Skeleton regions of Referred specimen: MLP-DP 46-VIII-21-3
RegionState
SkullUnknown / not recorded
MandibleUnknown / not recorded
TeethUnknown / not recorded
Cervical vertebraeUnknown / not recorded
Dorsal vertebraeUnknown / not recorded
SacrumUnknown / not recorded
Caudal vertebraeUnknown / not recorded
RibsUnknown / not recorded
GastraliaUnknown / not recorded
Scapula / shoulder girdleUnknown / not recorded
HumerusUnknown / not recorded
Forearm (radius / ulna)Unknown / not recorded
Hand (manus)Unknown / not recorded
PelvisUnknown / not recorded
FemurPartial
Tibia / fibulaUnknown / not recorded
Foot (pes)Unknown / not recorded
Skeletal reconstruction of Argentinosaurus; the holotype MCF-PVPH 1 preserves only vertebrae, a partial pelvis and a fibula, shown in white.Image credit: User:Slate Weasel, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsPublic domainSource (opens in a new tab)

All specimens

Discovery

Year described
1993
Described by
José F. Bonaparte & Rodolfo A. Coria
Type specimen
MCF-PVPH-1

Discovery timeline

  1. 1987 · First material found

    Guillermo Heredia finds the first Argentinosaurus bone

    A rancher finds a huge bone on his farm near Plaza Huincul, Neuquén.

    People: Guillermo Heredia

  2. 1993 · Formally described

    Bonaparte and Coria name Argentinosaurus huinculensis

    Named in Ameghiniana as a new, gigantic titanosaur.

    People: José F. Bonaparte, Rodolfo Coria

  3. 2013 · Major study

    Argentinosaurus walks in a computer simulation

    Sellers and colleagues scan the museum reconstruction and simulate its gait.

    People: William I. Sellers, Rodolfo Coria

  4. 2019 · Major study

    Paul compares the largest titanosaurs

    A size comparison of giant titanosaurs puts Argentinosaurus at 65-75 tonnes, above Patagotitan.

    People: Gregory S. Paul

Sources

  1. (2026). Paleobiology Database: Argentinosaurus occurrences. The Paleobiology Database (paleobiodb.org), data service 1.2, accessed 2026-09-23. https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.txt?base_name=Argentinosaurus&show=coords,paleoloc,strat,loc,ref&pgm=gplates (opens in a new tab)
  2. (2026). Wikipedia: Argentinosaurus. Wikipedia (English), accessed 2026-09-23. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentinosaurus (opens in a new tab)
  3. Bonaparte, J. F. & Coria, R. A. (1993). Un nuevo y gigantesco saurópodo titanosaurio de la Formación Río Limay (Albiano-Cenomaniano) de la Provincia del Neuquén, Argentina. Ameghiniana 30(3): 271-282.
  4. Cohen, K. M., Harper, D. A. T., Gibbard, P. L. & Car, N. (2023). International Chronostratigraphic Chart (v2023/09). International Commission on Stratigraphy. https://stratigraphy.org/ICSchart/ChronostratChart2023-09.pdf (opens in a new tab)
  5. Garrido, A. C. (2010). Stratigraphy of the Neuquén Group, Upper Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin (Argentina): new proposal for lithostratigraphic ordaining. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 12: 121-177. doi:10.22179/revmacn.12.239 (opens in a new tab)
  6. Mazzetta, G. V., Christiansen, P. & Fariña, R. A. (2004). Giants and bizarres: body size of some southern South American Cretaceous dinosaurs. Historical Biology 16: 71-83. doi:10.1080/08912960410001715132 (opens in a new tab)
  7. Paul, G. S. (2016). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs (2nd edition). Princeton University Press.
  8. Paul, G. S. (2019). Determining the largest known land animal: a critical comparison of differing methods for restoring the volume and mass of extinct animals. Annals of Carnegie Museum 85(4): 335-358. doi:10.2992/007.085.0403 (opens in a new tab)
  9. Sellers, W. I., Margetts, L., Coria, R. A. & Manning, P. L. (2013). March of the Titans: the locomotor capabilities of sauropod dinosaurs. PLoS ONE 8: e78733. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0078733 (opens in a new tab)