Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era, which lasted from 252 to 66 million years ago. This era, also known as the “Age of Dinosaurs”, was divided into three different time periods – the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. Dinosaur life likely ended when an asteroid struck Earth, spewing minerals into the air that caused lasting winter conditions and prevented plant growth. Due to a lack of food, most animals died out.
Humans have only been discovering dinosaurs since 1822 when British paleontologist Mary Ann Mantell first found fossilized bones. This record may change again in the future as paleontologists are unearthing new fossils staggering rate. According to the Smithsonian, a new species of dinosaur is uncovered every two weeks from locations worldwide. These discoveries have led to a shift in the dinosaur family tree.
Paleontologists’ understanding of dinosaurs, including their size and types, evolves over time as new fossils are discovered. In the 200 years since the first fossil discovery, there have been 11,000 fossils unearthed. Each year the Smithsonian publishes a list of the top dinosaur finds. The current record holder for the largest dinosaur is the Argentinosaurus found in Argentina in 2012.
There is debate over whether “largest” should be based on weight or length. The Argentinosaurus measures 131 feet long and weighs 110 tons, making it the largest by both metrics. (Today, this is the biggest animal in the world.)
Here are the largest dinosaurs in history
15. Shingopana songwensis
- Length: 26 feet
- Weight: 5.5 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Tanzania
14. Saltasaurus
- Length: 42 feet
- Weight: 7.7-8 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Argentina
13. Spinosaurus
- Length: 41-59 feet
- Weight: 10 tons
- Diet: Carnivorous
- Fossils found in: Egypt
12. Rapetosaurus krausei
- Length: 49 feet
- Weight: 16 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Madagascar
11. Diplodocus longus
- Length: 80 feet
- Weight: 16.3 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: North America
10. Elaltitan lilloi
- Length: 59 feet
- Weight: 60 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Argentina
9. Brachiosaurus Altithorax
- Length: 59-69 feet
- Weight: 62 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: North America
8. Giraffatitan brancai
- Length: 74 feet
- Weight: 37.5 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Tanzania
7. Austroposeidon magnificus
- Length: 82 feet
- Weight: 30-32 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Brazil
6. Turiasaurus riodevensis
- Length: 118-128 feet
- Weight: 40-48 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Spain
5. Futalognkosaurus dukei
- Length: 102-112 feet
- Weight: 42-50 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Argentina
4. Dreadnoughtus
- Length: 85 feet
- Weight: 65.4 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Argentina
3. Sauroposeidon proteles
- Length: 111 feet
- Weight: 55-66 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: North America
2. Paralititan
- Length: 100 feet
- Weight: 83 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Egypt
1. Argentinosaurus
- Length: 131 feet
- Weight: 110 tons
- Diet: Herbivorous
- Fossils found in: Argentina