User:PNSMurthy/The Longest and Largest Theropods and Sauropods

Here is my list in the making :

Introduction
Size has been one of the most fascinating aspects of dinosaur paleontology to the general public and to professional scientists. Dinosaurs show some of the most extreme variations in size of any land animal group, ranging from the tiny hummingbirds, which can weigh as little as three grams, to the extinct titanosaurs, which could weigh as much as 90 tonnes (89 long tons; 99 short tons).

Scientists will probably never be certain of the largest and smallest dinosaurs. This is because only a small fraction of animals ever fossilize, and most of these remain buried in the earth and will never be found. Few of the specimens that are recovered are complete skeletons, and impressions of skin and other soft tissues are rarely discovered. Rebuilding a complete skeleton by comparing the size and morphology of bones to those of similar, better-known species is an inexact art, and reconstructing the muscles and other organs of the living animal is, at best, a process of educated guesswork, and never perfect. Weight estimates for dinosaurs are much more variable than length estimates, because estimating length for extinct animals is much more easily done from a skeleton than estimating weight. Estimating weight is most easily done with the laser scan skeleton technique that puts a "virtual" skin over it, but even this is only an estimate.

The latest evidence suggests that dinosaur average size varied through the Triassic, early Jurassic, late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, and dinosaurs probably only became widespread during the Jurassic. Predatory theropod dinosaurs, which occupied most terrestrial carnivore niches during the Mesozoic, most often fall into the 100- to 1,000-kilogram (220 to 2,200 lb) category when sorted by estimated weight into categories based on order of magnitude, whereas recent predatory carnivoran mammals peak in the 10- to 100-kilogram (22 to 220 lb) category. The mode of Mesozoic dinosaur body masses is between one and ten metric tonnes. This contrasts sharply with the size of Cenozoic mammals, estimated by the National Museum of Natural History as about 2 to 5 kg.

§Taken from the Dinosaur size article

Record sizes
The sauropods were the longest and heaviest dinosaurs. For much of the dinosaur era, the smallest sauropods were larger than anything else in their habitat, and the largest were an order of magnitude more massive than anything else that has walked the Earth since. Giant prehistoric mammals such as Paraceratherium and Palaeoloxodon (the largest land mammals ever discovered ) were dwarfed by the giant sauropods, and only modern whales surpass them in weight, though they live in the oceans. There are several proposed advantages for the large size of sauropods, including protection from predation, reduction of energy use, and longevity, but it may be that the most important advantage was dietary. Large animals are more efficient at digestion than small animals, because food spends more time in their digestive systems. This also permits them to subsist on food with lower nutritive value than smaller animals. Sauropod remains are mostly found in rock formations interpreted as dry or seasonally dry, and the ability to eat large quantities of low-nutrient browse would have been advantageous in such environments. One of the tallest and heaviest dinosaurs known from good skeletons is Giraffatitan brancai (previously classified as a species of Brachiosaurus). Its remains were discovered in Tanzania between 1907 and 1912. Bones from several similar-sized individuals were incorporated into the skeleton now mounted and on display at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin; this mount is 12-13.27 m tall and 21.8 - 22.5 m long,  and would have belonged to an animal that weighed between 30000 to 60000 kg. One of the longest complete dinosaurs is the 27 m Diplodocus, which was discovered in Wyoming in the United States and displayed in Pittsburgh's Carnegie Natural History Museum in 1907.

There were larger dinosaurs, but knowledge of them is based entirely on a small number of fragmentary fossils. Most of the largest herbivorous specimens on record were discovered in the 1970s or later, and include the massive titanosaur Argentinosaurus huinculensis, which is the largest dinosaur known from uncontroversial evidence, estimated to have been 50-96.4 MT and 30-39.7 m long. Some of the longest sauropods were those with exceptionally long, whip-like tails, such as the 29-33.5 m Diplodocus hallorum (formerly Seismosaurus) and the 33- to 35-metre-long (108–115 ft) Supersaurus.

In 2014, the fossilized remains of a previously unknown species of sauropod were discovered in Argentina. The titanosaur, named Patagotitan mayorum, would have been around 40m long and weighed around 77 tonnes, larger than any other previously found sauropod. The specimens found were remarkably complete, significantly more so than previous titanosaurs. Research as of 2017 estimated Patagotitan to have been 37 m long It has also been suggested that Patagotitan is not necessarily larger than Argentinosaurus and Puertasaurus.

Tyrannosaurus was for many decades the largest and best known theropod to the general public. Since its discovery, however, a number of other giant carnivorous dinosaurs have been described, including Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Giganotosaurus. These large theropod dinosaurs rivaled or even exceeded Tyrannosaurus in size, though more recent studies show some indication that Tyrannosaurus, although shorter, was the heavier predator. Specimens such as Sue and Scotty are both estimated to be the most massive theropods known to science. There is still no clear explanation for exactly why these animals grew so much larger than the land predators that came before and after them.

The largest extant theropod is the common ostrich, up to 2.74 m tall and weighs between 63.5 and 145.15 kg.

The smallest non-avialan theropod known from adult specimens may be Anchiornis huxleyi, at 110 g in weight and 34 cm in length. However, some studies suggest that Anchiornis was actually an avialan. The smallest dinosaur known from adult specimens which is definitely not an avialan is Parvicursor remotus, at 162 g and measuring 39 cm long. When modern birds are included, the bee hummingbird Mellisuga helenae is smallest at 1.9 g and 5.5 cm long.

Recent theories propose that theropod body size shrank continuously over the past 50 million years, from an average of 163 kg down to 0.8 kg, as they eventually evolved into modern birds. This is based on evidence that theropods were the only dinosaurs to get continuously smaller, and that their skeletons changed four times faster than those of other dinosaur species.

The List of Longest Theropods
Sizes are given with a range, where possible, of estimates that have not been contradicted by more recent studies. In cases where a range of currently accepted estimates exist, sources are given for the sources with the lowest and highest estimates, respectively, and only the highest values are given if these individual sources give a range of estimates. Some other giant theropods are also known; for example, a theropod trackmaker in Morocco that was perhaps between 10 and 19 m long, but the information is too scarce to make precise size estimates.

Spinosaurus aegyptiacus - 15 - 18 meters (upper estimate is likely inaccurate)

Sigillmassosaurus brevicolius - 14.5 - 17 meters (upper estimate is likelily inaccurate)

Giganotosaurus carollini - 12 - 14.2 meters

Carcheradontosaurus saharicus - 11 - 13.8 meters

The 19IGR Trackmaker - 13.6 - 15.7 meters (upper estimate not used for various inaccuracies)

Carcharadontosaurus iguidensis - 10 - 13 meters

Tyranosaurus rex - 10 - 12.6 meters

Oles Megalasurine Trackmaker - 12.5 meters

Mapusaurus rosea - 10 - 12.4 meters

'Tajakistan Theropod' - 12.4 meters ?

Oxalia quilembensis - 10.5  - 12.4 meters

"Titanovenator" 12.35 meters ?

Jurabrontes zigongensis - 12.3 meters

Saurophaganax maximus - 12.3 - 14 meters  (might be a junior synonym of Allosaurus)

NMHG-8501 - 12 - 12.25 meters

Tyrannotitan chubutensis - 10 - 12.25 metres

Chilliantosaurus tshukiensis - 11 - 12.2 metres

Siats meekororum - 11.4 metres (juvenile) - 12.18 metres (adult)?

Dinocheirus mirficus - 12.1 - 15 meters (upper estimate unused because of two estimates supporting lower size)

Epanterias ampleuxus - 10 - 12.1 meters (might be junior synonym of Allosaurus)

Bahariosaurus ingens - 12.05 metres

cf. Zhuchengtyrannus magnus - 12.05 meters

Proedinodon mongoliensis - 10 - 11.95 meters

'Edmarka Rex' - 11.9 meters (might be junior synonym of Torvosaurus)

Acrocanthosaurus atokensis - 10 - 11.9 meters

Sauroniops pachytolus - 9 - 11.8 meters (might be junior synonym of Carcheradontosaurus, maybe even C.Saharicus or C.Iguidensis)

Tarbosaurus bataar - 10 - 11.7 meters

To be Continued and Improved

List of Heaviest Sauropods
Sauropodomorph size is difficult to estimate given their usually fragmentary state of preservation. Sauropods are often preserved without their tails, so the margin of error in overall length estimates is high. Mass is calculated using the cube of the length, so for species in which the length is particularly uncertain, the weight is even more so. Estimates that are particularly uncertain (due to very fragmentary or lost material) are preceded by a question mark. Each number represents the highest estimate of a given research paper. One large sauropod, Maraapunisaurus fragillimus, was based on particularly scant remains that have been lost since their description by paleontologists in 1878. Analysis of the illustrations included in the original report suggested that M. fragillimus may have been the largest land animal of all time, possibly weighing 100 - 150 MT and measuring between 40 - 60 m long. One later analysis of the surviving evidence, and the biological plausibility of such a large land animal, suggested that the enormous size of this animal was an over-estimate due partly to typographical errors in the original report. This would later be challenged by a different study, which argued Cope's measurements were genuine and there's no basis for assuming typographical errors. The study, however, also reclassified the species and correspondingly gave a much lower length estimate of 30.3 m and a mass of 78.5 MT.

Generally, the giant sauropods can be divided into two categories: the shorter but stockier and more massive forms (mainly titanosaurs and some brachiosaurids), and the longer but slenderer and more light-weight forms (mainly diplodocids).

Because different methods of estimation sometimes give conflicting results, mass estimates for sauropods can vary widely causing disagreement among scientists over the accurate number. For example, the titanosaur Dreadnoughtus was originally estimated to weigh 59.3 tonnes by the allometric scaling of limb-bone proportions, whereas more recent estimates, based on three-dimensional reconstructions, yield a much smaller figure of 22.1–38.2 tonnes.

Uncited for now (I am still uncovering the citations)

Unknown French Monster Titanosaur First specimen – 135 tonnes

1.) Maraapunisaurus Fragilimus – (62 -) 120 tonnes

Bruhathkayosaurus Maltei – 80 – 110 tonnes

Unnamed Australian Titanosaur specimen – 80 – 100 tonnes

Unnamed Giant Mamenchiosaur – 80 – 100 tonnes

Unnamed Museo de La Plata Sauropod – 80 – 100 tonnes

2.) Argentinosaurus Huinculensis – 65 – 100 tonnes

MUCPv-251 – 85 - 94 tonnes

3.) Puertosaurus Ruelli – (45-) 90 tonnes

‘Argyrosaurus’ specimen – 85 tonnes

Charente Monster Sauropod – 85 tonnes

4.) Alamasaurus Sanjuanensis – 40 – 85 tonnes

Unknown French Monster Titanosaur Second specimen – 80 (– 115 tonnes)

Unnamed Moroccan Sauropod – 80 tonnes

5.) Barosaurus Lentos – (12.2–) 80 tonnes

6.) Mamenchisaurus Sinocanadorum – (20-) 50 - 78 tonnes

Otegosaurus specimen – 78 tonnes

7.) Patogotitan Mayorum – 66 – 77 tonnes

‘Nemegtosaurus’ Sacrum – 77 tonnes

8.) Notocolossus Gonzalezparejasi – 50 – 74 tonnes

Unnamed Species – 72 tonnes

‘Antarctosaurus Giganteous’ – 45 - 72 tonnes

Fusiosaurus Zhaoi – (30 –) 70 tonnes

9.) Ruyangosaurus Giganteous – 68 (-100) tonnes

10.) Dreadnaughtus Scharni – (20-) 65 tonnes

‘Aegyptosaurus’ specimen – 65 tonnes

11.) Parralititan Stromeri – (40-) 64 tonnes

Breviparopus trackmaker – 48 -  62 tonnes

12.) Apatosaurus Ajax – (30-) 60 tonnes

13.) Sauroposeidin Proteles – 60 tonnes

‘Angloposeidin’ – 60 tonnes

‘Parabrontopodus’ – 60 tonnes

‘The Archbishop’ – 60 tonnes

14.) Brachiosaurus Alithorax – 35 – 55 tonnes

Unnamed MPM-PV-39  - 55 tonnes

Malakhelisaurus Mianwali – 55 tonnes

Supersaurus Vivianie – 55 tonnes

‘Chuangjesaurus’ – 50 – 55 tonnes

Yummenlong Ruyangensis – (38-) 54 tonnes

Abbydosaurus Macintoshi – 52 tonnes

‘Seismosaurus’ Longus / Hallorum – 30 – 52 tonnes (-100 tonnes)

15.) Huangetitan Ruyungensis – 40 – 50  tonnes

16.) Turiasaurus riodevensis – 50 tonnes

Unknown French Monster Titanosaur Third specimen – 50 tonnes

17.) Argyrosaurus superbus – 50 tonnes

Ultrasauripus – 50 tonnes

‘Dinheirosaurus’ – 50 tonnes

Galveosaurus Herreroi – 50 tonnes

Rapetosaurus specimen – 50 tonnes

Huabeisaurus specimen – 30 – 50 tonnes

Xinjiangtitan Shanshanesis – (25 -) 48 tonnes

18.) Futlongkosaurus Dukei – (29 -) 48 (-70) tonnes

Losillasaurus Giganteus – 47 tonnes

‘Francoposeidon’ – 47 tonnes

‘Gara Samana’ trackmaker – 47 tonnes

19.) Camarasaurus Supremus – 47 tonnes

20.) Girafatitan Branchai – 45 (-70) tonnes

Ultrasaurus Singulatus – 45 tonnes

Unnamed Footprint – 45 tonnes

Plagne  trackmaker – 45 tonnes

‘Puertosaurus’ Taqueti – 41 tonnes

Tehuelecosaurus Benitezzi – 41 tonnes

Duriatitan specimen – 40 tonnes

Andesaurus Delgadoi – 40 tonnes (7 – 70 tonnes)

21.) Elatitan Illoii – 40 tonnes

22.) Mamenchisaurus Jingyanensis  - 40 tonnes

Mamenchisaurus ‘Anyuensis’ – 40 tonnes

Torneria Afrocenia – (10-) 40 tonnes

23.) Lusotitan Atalaiensis – (25 -) 40  tonnes

Cetiosaurus Humeriesticratus – 40 tonnes

Paluxysaurus Jonesi – 39 tonnes

Apatosaurus indet – 39 tonnes

Phuwiangosaurus Sirinohornae – 38 tonnes

24.) Diplodocus Hallorum – 38 tonnes

‘Brachiosuaurs’ Branchai – 37 tonnes

Daxiatitan Binglingli – 37 (-50) tonnes

Rotundchnus Munchehgwnsis – 37 tonnes

25.) Atlantosaurus Montanus – 36 tonnes

26.) Brachiosaurus Nougaredi - 35 tonnes (-100 tonnes)

Lapparentosaurus specimen – 35 tonnes

Unnamed Sauropod – 35 tonnes

‘Mano Espanio’ – 34 tonnes

Uberabatitan Riberio – 33 tonnes

‘Drasilosaura’ – 33 tonnes

Austroposeidon Magnifis – 32 tonnes

Abdrainosaurus Barsbodi - 32 tonnes

Kaijutitan Maui – 32 tonnes

27.)  Brachiosaurus Atalaiensis – 31 tonnes

‘Sauropodus’ – 31 tonnes

28.)  Janenschia Robusta – 30 tonnes

‘Bananbendersaurus’ – 30 tonnes

Cetiosaurus Conybeari – 30 tonnes

Chuanjesaurus Ananensis – 30 tonnes

Huangetitan Liujiaxensis – 30 tonnes

‘Dongyangosaurus’ – 30 tonnes

Europotitan Eastwoodi – 30 tonnes

29.) Hudiosaurus Sinojapanorum – 30 - 85 tonnes

Pellegrinisaurus Powelli – 30 tonnes

‘Lianonigotitan’ – 30 tonnes

Amphlicoleias Altus – 30 tonnes

Chubutisaurus Insignis – 30 tonnes

30.) Apatosaurus Louisae – 30 tonnes

31.) Gigantosaurus Robustus – 29 tonnes

Mendozasaurus Neguyelap – 28 tonnes

Cedarosaurus Weiskopfae – 28 tonnes

32.) Rebbachisaurus Garasbae – 27 tonnes

‘Blanconcerosaurus’ – 27 tonnes

33.) Huabeisaurus Allocotus – 26 tonnes

34.) Traukotitan Eukodata – 26 tonnes

Quetecsaurus Rusconii – 26 tonnes

Fushanosaurus Quitaieninsis – 26 tonnes

‘Pleurocoleus’ – 25 tonnes

35.) Brontosaurus Exclusus - 25 tonnes

36.) Nullotitan Glaciaris – 25 tonnes

‘Ultrasauros’ Makintoshi – 25 (-200) tonnes

SGP 2006/9 – 25 tonnes

‘Atlantosaurus’ Immanis – 25 tonnes

Xinghesaurus specimen – 25 tonnes

37.) Jiangshanosaurus Lixianensis – 25 tonnes

‘Wintonotitan’ (Austrosaurus) – 25 tonnes

Ferganasaurus Verzilini – 24 tonnes

Apatosaurus Yahnahpin – 24 tonnes

38.) Jobaria Tiguidensis – 24 tonnes

‘Nurosaurus’ – 23 tonnes

39.) Zimbabwe trackmaker Brachiosaur – 23 tonnes

‘Clasmodosaurus’ – 23 tonnes

Indeterminate Antarctosaurus – 23 tonnes

Zigongosaurus Fuxiensis – 22 tonnes

‘Titanosaurus’ Falloti – 21 tonnes

‘Titanosaurus’ Blanfordi – 21 tonnes

‘Brontodiplodocus’ – 21 tonnes

40.) Mamenchisaurus Constructus – 20 tonnes

41.)Mamenchisaurus Hochuanensis – 20 tonnes

Zby Atlanticus – 20 tonnes

42.) Barosaurus specimen – 20 tonnes

43.) Diplodocus Carnegii – 20 tonnes

‘Astrodon’ – 20 tonnes

44.) Austrosaurus Mckillopi – 20 tonnes

‘Biconcavoposeidin’ – 20 tonnes

‘Neosodon’ – 20 tonnes

‘Barrackosaurus’ – 20 tonnes

Atlasaurus Immelaki – 20 tonnes

Saltasaurus specimen – 20 tonnes

‘Brontopodus’ Brachiosaur – 20 tonnes

‘Sauropodnichus’ – 20 tonnes

‘Mohammadisaurus’ – 20 tonnes

Savannasaurus Elliottorum – 20 tonnes

45.) Jainosaurus Sepententrionalis – 20 tonnes

External & Wikipedia Links
References for Tyrannosaurus Rex


 * 1) Sue
 * 2) Tyrannosaurus Rex