Species · GBIF taxon 11157632
Bajadasaurus pronuspinax
Bajadasaurus pronuspinaxBajadasaurus browsed the ancient floodplains of Early Cretaceous Patagonia, cropping low-lying ferns, cycads, and horsetails with peg-shaped teeth. Its neck was armed with an extraordinary crest of elongated neural spines that curved forward over the head, likely sheathed in tough keratin for defense against predators. Unlike towering titanosaurs, its compact posture and downward-angled skull kept its head positioned low to feed efficiently near the forest floor.
PrehistoricHerbivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Ferns
- Cycads
- Horsetails
Predators
- Abelisauroid theropods
- Carcharodontosaurid theropods
ThreatsPredation by theropods and habitat shifts (extinct)
HabitatsBraided river valleys, riparian floodplains, and semi-arid woodlands
Life spanEstimated 25–40 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyDicraeosauridae
- SpeciesBajadasaurus pronuspinax
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species; safe to observe in paleontological exhibits.
Responsible observation
- Museum Exhibits: Study fossil casts and cranial reconstructions at Argentine paleontological centers.
- Anatomical Recognition: Note the long, forward-sweeping neck spines that distinguish it from relatives.
Close Relative Jan Helebrant / CC0 · cc0
Close Relative FunkMonk / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Marco from Freialdenhoven, Deutschland / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative
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