| Chebsaurus | |
|---|---|
) | |
| Life restoration of the head | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Eusauropoda |
| Genus: | †Chebsaurus Mahammed et al., 2005 |
| Species: | †C. algeriensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Chebsaurus algeriensis Mahemmed et al., 2005 | |
Chebsaurus is a genus of quadrupedal, herbivorous, cetiosaurid sauropod dinosaur, specifically a eusauropod. It lived in present-day Algeria, in the Callovian aged Aïssa Formation. The type species, C. algeriensis, was named in 2005 by Mahammed et al. and is the most complete Algerian sauropod known. It was around 8 to 9 metres (26 to 30 ft) long.[1]
The word "Cheb" "شاب" is colloquial Arabic for "young man", as the fossils found were believed to be from a juvenile. The original publication, by Mahammed et al., gives Chebsaurus the nickname "the Giant of Ksour". A second skeleton, also from a juvenile of a similar ontogenetic stage, is also known.[2]
Both skeletons, including cranial material, was found in the Ksour Mountains, part of the Occidental Saharan Atlas (Algerian High Atlas).
References
- ^ Mahammed, Farida; Läng, Émilie; Mami, Leïla; Mekahli, Larbi; Benhamou, Miloud; Bouterfa, Boumediène; Kacemi, Ali; Chérief, Sid-Ali; Chaouati, Hayate (December 2005). "The 'Giant of Ksour', a Middle Jurassic sauropod dinosaur from Algeria". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 4 (8): 707–714. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2005.07.001. ISSN 1631-0683.
- ^ Läng, Emilie; Mahammed, Farida (March 2010). "New anatomical data and phylogenetic relationships of Chebsaurus algeriensis (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of Algeria". Historical Biology. 22 (1–3): 142–164. doi:10.1080/08912960903515570. ISSN 0891-2963.
Further reading
- Original paper, in English and French