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Prehistoric Life

How long was Mussaurus patagonicus?

An adult Mussaurus patagonicus had a total length of about 3 m (9 ft 10 in).

What is measured: adult, total body length

Mussaurus patagonicus (3 m) drawn to scale beside a doorway (2 m) and a 20-foot shipping container (6.06 m)
Drawn to scale, from left to right: Doorway (2 m), Mussaurus patagonicus (3 m) and Shipping container (20 ft) (6.06 m).

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How big is that, really?

  • About 2 would fit end to end along a 20-foot shipping container
  • About 4 would fit end to end along a city bus
  • About 1.5× the height of a doorway
  • About 1.8× the height of an adult person
  • About 7 would fit end to end along a tennis court

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Facts about Mussaurus patagonicus

Mussaurus means “mouse lizard,” a name inspired by its tiny hatchling fossils even though adults were several meters long.

Source: Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Mussaurus; Scientific Reports, Early sauropodomorph ontogeny

Prehistoric Life

NameSizeCompared with Mussaurus patagonicus
Arthropleura armata2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)0.87×
Mammut americanum2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)0.97×
Hieraaetus moorei3 m (9 ft 10 in)same size
Mussaurus patagonicus3 m (9 ft 10 in)this page
Aepyornis maximus3 m (9 ft 10 in)same size
Kelenken guillermoi3 m (9 ft 10 in)same size
Macrauchenia patachonica3 m (9 ft 10 in)same size
Gigantopithecus blacki3 m (9 ft 10 in)same size
Glyptodon clavipes3.3 m (11 ft)1.1×
Arctodus simus3.4 m (11 ft)1.1×

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