Galvesaurus facts for kids

Galvesaurus (meaning "Galve lizard") is a type of sauropod dinosaur. It belongs to the group called brachiosaurids. These were very large, long-necked dinosaurs. Galvesaurus lived during the Late Jurassic period, about 150 to 146 million years ago.

The only known species is G. herreroi. Its fossils were found in a place called Galve in Spain. This is why it was named "Galve lizard." The second part of its name, herreroi, honors José María Herrero, who discovered its bones.

Where Does Galvesaurus Fit?

Scientists study dinosaur bones to understand how different dinosaurs are related. This is like building a family tree for dinosaurs.

At first, some scientists thought Galvesaurus was part of a group called Turiasauria. This group included other large dinosaurs like Losillasaurus and Turiasaurus.

However, later studies showed that Galvesaurus did not have the same special features as turiasaurs. Instead, new fossil discoveries in 2019 helped scientists learn more. They now believe Galvesaurus was actually a macronarian, specifically a brachiosaurid. This means it is related to famous dinosaurs like Brachiosaurus.

The Story of Its Discovery

The story of Galvesaurus began in the 1980s. A local fossil hunter named José María Herrero found some dinosaur bones. He found them at a site called Cuesta Lonsal, near Galve, Spain. These bones belonged to a large sauropod dinosaur.

In 1987, a scientific team from Zaragoza University and the Government of Aragón began to investigate the site. This team was known as "Aragosaurus." They realized the site was very important for studying ancient life.

After getting special permission, the team started their own dig in 1993. They worked at the site until 2002. During this time, they found more than 50 bones from this new dinosaur species.

As the bones were found, scientists studied them carefully. They also published reports about their discoveries. However, they waited to give the dinosaur a formal name until all the fossils were ready. Once prepared, the bones were moved to the small Spanish Paleontological Museum of Galve. There, they could be studied further and put on display for everyone to see.