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Science & Nature • Paleontology

Nigersaurus

Nigersaurus is a genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur known for its unusually broad muzzle and more than 500 replaceable teeth.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Nigersaurus is a genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur known for its unusually broad muzzle and more than 500 replaceable teeth. It lived in what is now Niger during the Early to mid-Cretaceous and was a herbivore adapted for low browsing on soft plants.

Description

Nigersaurus was a relatively small sauropod dinosaur with a delicate skull, a broad muzzle, and teeth suited to cropping low vegetation. Its unusual jaw structure made it one of the most distinctive dinosaurs known.

Diet and feeding

Evidence indicates that Nigersaurus was a herbivore that fed close to the ground. It likely ate soft plants such as ferns, horsetails, and possibly other riparian vegetation.

Discovery and fossil site

Nigersaurus fossils were found in the Elrhaz Formation at Gadoufaoua in Niger. The genus was described from material collected during paleontological work in the region.

Teeth and skull

The dinosaur is best known for its more than 500 teeth, which were packed into dental batteries and replaced rapidly. This adaptation helped maintain a continual cutting surface for browsing plants.

Key facts

  • Nigersaurus was a sauropod dinosaur with a wide, straight-edged muzzle and a very large number of teeth.
  • Its teeth were arranged in dental batteries and replaced rapidly, roughly every two weeks.
  • It was a plant-eater that likely fed on low-growing vegetation such as ferns, horsetails, and other soft plants.
  • Fossils were discovered in the Elrhaz Formation at Gadoufaoua in Niger.
  • It lived during the Early to mid-Cretaceous, around 115 to 105 million years ago.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Nigersaurus?
Nigersaurus is a genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur from Cretaceous Africa, known for its broad muzzle and more than 500 teeth.
How big was Nigersaurus?
It was relatively small for a sauropod, about 9–10 metres long, with some sources giving a length of about 15 metres.
What did Nigersaurus eat?
It was a herbivore that likely ate low-growing plants such as ferns, horsetails, and other soft vegetation.
When did Nigersaurus live?
Nigersaurus lived about 115–105 million years ago during the Early to mid-Cretaceous.
Where was Nigersaurus found?
Its fossils were found in the Elrhaz Formation at Gadoufaoua in Niger.
What was special about Nigersaurus teeth?
Nigersaurus had more than 500 teeth arranged in dental batteries, and the teeth were replaced rapidly throughout its life.

References

  1. University of Chicago — https://paulsereno.uchicago.edu/discoveries/nigersaurus/
    Supports: Description, age, location in Niger, plant-eating diet, and broad muzzle with more than 500 replaceable teeth.
  2. Natural History Museum — https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/nigersaurus.html
    Supports: Length, herbivorous diet, and broad Cretaceous age range.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigersaurus
    Supports: Living age estimate, discovery in the Elrhaz Formation at Gadoufaoua, rapid tooth replacement, and diet interpretation.
  4. Harvard-affiliated page — https://face.meei.harvard.edu/facts-about-nigersaurus
    Supports: Approximate length, Cretaceous age, Niger discovery, and herbivorous diet.
  5. Interesting Engineering — https://interestingengineering.com/lists/11-facts-about-nigersaurus
    Supports: 500 teeth, tooth counts in the upper and lower jaws, and general morphology.
  6. National Geographic — https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/what-dinosaur-has-500-teeth-nigersaurus
    Supports: Approximate length, mass, time period, and location in what is now Niger.