New Species of Titanosaur Unearthed in Egypt: Mansourasaurus shahinae

New Species of Titanosaur Unearthed in Egypt: Mansourasaurus shahinae | Paleontology | Sci-News.com

Paleontologists in Egypt have found fossil fragments from a new species of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that walked the Earth around 80 million years ago (Cretaceous period).

Dubbed Mansourasaurus shahinae, the ancient beast was a type of titanosaur, a group of sauropod (long-necked plant-eating) dinosaurs.
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The sauropod dinosdaurs are always fascinating due to a number of factors but especially their great size. The theory is that there was so much CO2 in the atmosphere that plant growth (their food) was so massive that they could grow to such huge sizes.

I've heard that theory before...but I think it would be more of an evolution trait and lack of competition for food than CO2 levels. Otherwise, the small mammals that existed at that time would be large as well...but they didn't evolve to a larger size until after the dinosaurs went extinct. Thoughts?

Moot said:

I've heard that theory before...but I think it would be more of an evolution trait and lack of competition for food than CO2 levels. Otherwise, the small mammals that existed at that time would be large as well...but they didn't evolve to a larger size until after the dinosaurs went extinct. Thoughts?

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Mammals got a later start.

KevinKohler said:

Mammals got a later start.

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Mammals also were forced to live in ecological niches where being small helped them keep a low profile. They didn't start expanding in size until after the KT event wiped out most predatory reptile species.