Cetiosaurus oxoniensis

† Cetiosaurus oxoniensis, the 'Oxford whale lizard,' is the best-known species of Cetiosaurus, described from extensive skeletal material recovered near Oxford, England. Estimated at 15–18 m in length and weighing up to 27 tonnes, it was among the largest animals of Jurassic Europe. Its column of solid, non-pleurocoelous vertebrae distinguishes it from more derived sauropods. The species name references Oxfordshire, where key specimens were collected.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivore

Cetiosaurus oxoniensis was a plant-eating dinosaur. Herbivores typically fed on ferns, cycads, conifers, and other vegetation available during their era. Many herbivorous dinosaurs developed specialized teeth and digestive systems for processing tough plant material.

Time Period

Jurassic Middle Mesozoic Era

Cetiosaurus oxoniensis lived during the Jurassic Middle period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 174.7 to 161.5 million years ago.

Dinosaur diversity continued to increase, with the evolution of large sauropods and diverse theropods. Stegosaurs first appeared, and the supercontinent Pangaea was breaking apart.