About Nigersaurus
| Scientific Name (Genus) | Nigersaurus |
| Meaning of Name | Niger's Lizard |
| Classification | Saurischia, Sauropodomorpha, Rebbachisauridae |
| Total Length | Approx. 9m (30 ft) |
| Diet | Herbivorous |
| Period | Early Cretaceous (approx. 115-105 million years ago) |
| Species Name | Nigersaurus taqueti |
| Year of Paper Publication | 1999 |
| Genus Name Publication | Sereno, et al. (1999). Cretaceous sauropods from the Sahara and the uneven rate of skeletal evolution among dinosaurs. Science. |
The Strange "Vacuum Cleaner" of the Cretaceous
Nigersaurus was a rebbachisaurid sauropod that lived in Africa during the Early Cretaceous. At about 9 meters (30 feet) long, it was relatively small for a sauropod. Its most distinctive feature was its bizarre mouth, which was wide and lined with straight teeth, resembling the intake of a vacuum cleaner. This has earned it the nickname "Mesozoic cow," and it's thought to have fed by efficiently grazing on low-lying plants like ferns.
Its skull was extremely lightweight, with a delicate structure full of holes. The discoverer, Dr. Paul Sereno, described the skull as being "more like paper than a helmet." Because of this, finding a complete skull fossil is rare.
Over 500 Teeth and an Astonishing Replacement Rate
A dental battery structure with over 500 densely packed teeth
Another surprising feature of Nigersaurus is its teeth. Its jaws were packed with more than 500 teeth that functioned like scissors. Furthermore, CT scans revealed that new replacement teeth were ready in multiple layers inside the jaw.
Studies estimate that Nigersaurus's teeth were replaced at the incredible rate of every 14 days, faster than any other known dinosaur. It is believed that by constantly replacing teeth that were quickly worn down by eating tough plants, it maintained its feeding efficiency. This unique dental system can be considered the ultimate adaptation for its specialized diet of low-growing vegetation.
Discovery and Naming
Its wide mouth and tooth battery are characteristic.
The first fossils of Nigersaurus were discovered in the 1950s by a French expedition in the Republic of Niger, but they were too fragmented to be immediately recognized for their importance.
Serious research began in the 1990s after an expedition led by American paleontologist Paul Sereno discovered many more fossils, including a very well-preserved skull. Based on these findings, it was formally described by Sereno and his team in the journal 'Science' in 1999 and named Nigersaurus taqueti. The species name honors Philippe Taquet, the French paleontologist who was the first to discover its remains.