The Dinosaurs - Chondrosteosaurus, an Isle of Wight basal titanosauriform

Chondrosteosaurus,

an Isle of Wight basal titanosauriform

Chondrosteosaurus vertebra

Meaning

Cartilage and bone lizard

Length

Around 18m

Classification

Sauropoda,
Titanosauriformes

Chondrosteosaurus gigas‘ Owen, 1876

Locations

The specimen was found on the south coast of the Isle of Wight. This is very imprecise, but there is insufficient data, but Brighstone or Brook bays are the most likely candidates.

Chondrosteosaurus is known from unspecified specimens, there is a vertebra that can be used for identification. It was originally placed in the camarasauridae because of an oblique dividing lamina within the pleurocoel and the broad flat ventral surface of the centrum. However, these features are present in diplodocids, brachiosaurs and several other sauropods, so are apparently non-diagnostic.

Material is rare, so please report it if you find some…

NAISH, D. and MARTILL, D. M. 2001d. Saurischian dinosaurs 1: sauropods. In MARTILL, D. M. and NAISH, D (eds). Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight. The Palaeontological Association. Field Guide to Fossils 10. 185-.241.​