Re: Largest Dinosaurs

[Mike Taylor <mike@miketaylor.org.uk>]

> Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:02:54 -0500 (EST)
> From: AAAAM49@aol.com
> 
> What dinosaur is currently considered the largest?

This is certainly a Frequently Asked Question!
See the FAQ entry on this subject at
        http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/faq/s-size/records/

It's still incomplete (I really, really should fix that) but gives a
reasonable overview.

> Is it still Argentinosaurus, or does the recent find in Pategonia,
> posted a few weeks back potentially eclipse it?

I know of no other Patagonian specimens yet described that suggest
bigger animals than _Argentinosaurus_ (although _Antarctosaurus
giganteus_ runs it close).  There may well be undescribed material.

> Is there been an theorized absolute size limit for a land dwelling
> animal?

Yes, there have been many such limits theorized :-)

Economos 1981 suggested a ludicrously low upper limit of something
like 20 tonnes; this was contradicted pretty emphatically by Hokkanen
1986, whose limit was "between 100 and 1000 tonnes".

        Economos, A. C.  1981.  The largest land mammal.  Journal of
        Theoretical Biology 89:211-215.

        Hokkanen, J. E. I.  1986.  The size of the largest land
        animal.  Journal of Theoretical Biology 188: 491-499.

You can read the Hokkanen paper at
        http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/hokkanen/

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