Rapetosaurus

Rapetosaurus is a titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur genus that existed in Madagascar between 70 and 66 million years ago, near the end of the Cretaceous Period. Rapetosaurus krausei is the only species that has been recognized. Rapetosaurus, like other sauropods, was a quadrupedal herbivore with estimated lengths of 15 metres (49 ft). Rapetosaurus was a classic sauropod, with a short and thin tail, a long neck, and a massive, elephant-like bulk. It has a diplodocid-like head, with a long, narrow snout and nostrils on the top of its skull. It was a herbivore with short, pencil-like teeth that were useful for tearing leaves off trees but not for eating.

Rapetosaurus, known as the single species Rapetosaurus krausei, was the first titanosaur discovered with an almost totally entire skeleton, complete with head. It has contributed to the resolution of several tough, century-old classification difficulties within this broad group of sauropod dinosaurs, and it serves as a useful foundation for the reconstruction of other titanosaurs known solely from incomplete petrified remains. Kristina Curry Rogers and Catherine A. Forster announced their discovery in the scientific journal Nature in 2001. A virtually entire skeleton of a youngster was discovered, together with fragmentary remains of three more people.