Why are size estimates for *Patagotitan mayorum* considered more reliable than those for some other giant dinosaur candidates?
Answer
Its size estimates are based on a greater quantity of preserved material
The authority behind the size determination for *Patagotitan mayorum* stems directly from the exceptional completeness of the fossil record recovered. Unlike many other contenders for the title of largest dinosaur, which are known only from a few isolated bones leading to large error margins, scientists recovered several key skeletal elements from at least six different individuals of *P. mayorum*. This inclusion of multiple specimens—such as various vertebrae, limb bones, and pelvic structures—allows researchers to cross-reference dimensions, refine scaling, and generate a far more coherent and reliable reconstruction of its overall anatomy and dimensions.
Related Questions
What does the name *Patagotitan* specifically signify regarding its geographical origin?What was the upper limit scientific estimate for the mass of a fully grown *Patagotitan mayorum*?Into which specific subgroup of long-necked dinosaurs did *Patagotitan mayorum* fall?Why are size estimates for *Patagotitan mayorum* considered more reliable than those for some other giant dinosaur candidates?During which geological era did the existence of *Patagotitan* take place?Which family's land in Chubut Province protected the fossils until scientific teams could properly extract them?What analogy illustrates the approximate 37.2 meter length attributed to *Patagotitan*?Given its enormous size, what necessary activity would *Patagotitan* likely have spent the majority of its waking hours performing?The fossil discoveries of *Patagotitan* occurred near which specific geographical locality in Chubut Province?What functional role did the legs of *Patagotitan* essentially have to perform to support its structure?