Argentinosaurus

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Argentinosaurus

ZooTek Phoenix

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Author: Moondawg

Keywords: extinct, dinosaurs

Release Date: Oct 14, 2008

Current ArgentinosaurusMD_2008.ztd dated 13 October 2008

File Size: 8.56mb

Compatibility: DD or CC

Description: Argentinosaurus (meaning "Argentina lizard") was a herbivorous sauropod dinosaur genus that was quite possibly the largest, heaviest land animal that ever lived.
It developed on the island continent of South America during the middle of the Cretaceous Period (around 100 million years ago), after all of its more familiar Laurasian Jurassic kin - like Apatosaurus - had long disappeared.

Not much of Argentinosaurus has been recovered: just some back vertebrae, tibia, fragmentary ribs, and sacrum. One vertebra had a length of 1.3 meters and the tibia was about 155 centimeters (58 inches). However, the spectacular proportions of these bones and comparisons with other sauropod relatives allow paleontologists to estimate the size of the animal. Early reconstructions estimated Argentinosaurus at 35 meters (115 ft) in length and a weight of perhaps 80 to 100 tonnes. More recent estimates based on Saltasaurus, Opisthocoelicaudia and Rapetosaurus suggest sizes around 22-26 meters (72 - 85 ft).[1] It is the largest dinosaur for which there exists good evidence. Although it might have been smaller than Bruhathkayosaurus, which may have reached 44 meters (144 ft) in length and weighed 180 tons (however like Argentinosaurus it has been estimated shorter, at 28-34 meters (92-112 ft)), as well as the poorly known Amphicoelias fragilimus, which may have been up to 60 meters (200 ft) long, these estimates cannot be validated due to lack of evidence.

Vast wings on the vertebrae suited the attachment of massive muscles

The type species of Argentinosaurus, A. huinculensis, was described and published (by the Argentinian palaeontologists José F. Bonaparte and Rodolfo Coria) in 1993. Its more specific time-frame within the Cretaceous is the Albian to Cenomanian epochs, 112.2 to 93.5 million years ago. The fossil discovery site is in the Río Limay Formation in Neuquén Province, Argentina

Argentinosaurus is featured prominently in the permanent exhibition Giants of the Mesozoic at Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This display depicts a hypothetical encounter between Argentinosaurus and the carnivorous theropod dinosaur Giganotosaurus. Contemporary fossils of Cretaceous Period plants and animals are included in the exhibition, including two species of pterosaurs, providing a snapshot of a prehistoric ecosystem in what is now the modern Patagonia region of Argentina. At 123 feet (37 m) long, this skeletal reconstruction represents the largest dinosaur mount ever to be assembled.

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Additional info:

ArgentinosaurusMD_2008.ztd                 uca: 010B2026 dated 13 October 2008

Results From Configuration Checking:

010b2026.uca date: Mon Oct 13 19:20:20 2008
No Errors or Warnings to show.
Animal Type: 010B2026

Argentinosaurus

Argentinosaurus (meaning "Argentina lizard") was a herbivorous sauropod
dinosaur genus that was quite possibly the largest, heaviest land animal that
ever lived. It developed on the island continent of South America during the
middle of the Cretaceous Period (around 100 million years ago), after all of
its more familiar Laurasian Jurassic kin — like Apatosaurus — had long
disappeared.
   (plus 4 other paragraphs)

Animal Characteristics:

Habitat: Rainforest; Location: South America; Era: Cretaceous
Minimum happiness needed for chance of breeding: 97.
Animal can jump.
Animal can climb cliffs.
Cannot be used in original Zoo Tycoon: cKeeperFoodType (8) is not 0 to 5.

Exhibit Preferences:

Foliage:
Ulmo Tree, Mangrove Tree, Elephant Ear Tree, Foxtail Palm Tree
Llala Palm Tree, Rainforest Bush, Rainforest Fern, Orchid Tree, Kapok Tree
Broadleaf Bush, Thouarsus Cycad Tree (DD), Fern Bush (DD)
Leptocycas Tree (DD), Magnolia Tree (DD), Monkey Puzzle Tree (DD)
Williamsonia Tree (DD), Fallen Rainforest Tree (ES), Rainforest Stump (ES)
Rafflesia (ES), Giant Ficus Tree (ES), Durian Tree (ES)

Rocks:
Large Rock, Large Rock - 1, Large Rock - 2, Large Rock - 3, Large Rock - 4
Small Rock - Medium, Small Rock - Small, Small Rock - 7, Small Rock - 8
Small Rock - 9, Stone Ruins, Deciduous Forest Rock - Formation
Rainforest Rock - Formation, Mossy Rainforest Rock (ES), Limestone Rock (ES)

Exhibit Construction:

Number of animals allowed per exhibit: 1-3 with 100 squares for each adult.

Exhibit size (for 2 adults): 200 grid squares

Terrain (for exhibit with 200 grid squares):
160 Rainforest Floor, 20 Grass, 20 Fresh Water

Foliage (for exhibit with 200 grid squares):
12 grid squares should contain foliage.
Foliage that would give the most happiness: Ulmo Tree
Since this is a small plant, greatest happiness will occur
if each of the 12 grid squares contains 4 of this plant.

Rocks (for exhibit with 200 grid squares):
16 Small Rock - Small, which is its most liked rock.