Chebsaurus

Chebsaurus
Temporal range: Mid to Late Jurassic
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Superorder: Dinosauria
Order: Saurischia
Suborder: Sauropodomorpha
Infraorder: Sauropoda
Family: Cetiosauridae?
Genus: Chebsaurus
Mahammed et al. (2005)

Chebsaurus is a genus of quadrupedal, herbivorous, cetiosaurid sauropod dinosaur, specifically a eusauropod. It lived in present day Algeria, in the Middle Jurassic Period. The type species, C. algeriensis, was named in 2005 by Farida Mahammed and is the most complete Algerian sauropod known. It was around 8 to 9 meters long.

The word "Cheb" is colloquial Arabic for "teenager", 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".

The skeleton, including cranial material, was found in the Occidental Saharan Atlas (Algerian High Atlas).

References