Species
Zby atlanticus
Zby atlanticusZby atlanticus was a heavy-bodied turiasaurian sauropod that browsed the coastal floodplains of the Iberian Peninsula during the Late Jurassic. Distinguishable by a prominent backward-projecting ridge on its forelimb bones, it possessed massive pillared limbs adapted for supporting vast body weight across marshy terrain. Its broad, spoon-shaped teeth allowed it to shear tough conifer needles and cycad fronds alongside other massive herbivores.
PrehistoricSauropodHerbivorous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyConifers, Cycads, Seed ferns
Predators
- Torvosaurus gurneyi
- Allosaurus europaeus
- Ceratosaurus
ThreatsPredation by apex megalosauroids, drought, and environmental change
HabitatsCoastal lagoons, floodplains, and open woodlands
Life span40–70 years
Classification
- FamilyTuriasauridae
- SpeciesZby atlanticus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known only from Late Jurassic fossil material; completely safe to observe.
Responsible observation
- Museum Examination: Study the holotype forelimb and tooth material housed in Portuguese paleontological collections.
- Skeletal Clues: Look for the diagnostic prominent posterior ridge running along the upper shaft of the ulna.
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