In Depth
Atlasaurus was named after the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. These in turn were named after the Titan Atlas who in Greek Mythology was said to hold up the sky. The species name A. imelakei comes from the Arabic Imelake, the name of a giant.
Atlasaurus was once treated as a fairly primitive sauropod similar to genera like Cetiosaurus, but more modern analysis has seen Atlasaurus to have been similar to Brachiosaurus. Atlasaurus however is seems as having a larger head, shorter neck, longer tail and more elongated limbs than Brachiosaurus. Atlasaurus had teeth that are similar to some of its relatives in that they were spatulate in form with denticles. These would have cropped high growing vegetation which was then swallowed.
Further Reading
– Atlasaurus imelakei n.g., n.sp., a brachiosaurid-like sauropod from the Middle Jurassic of Morocco - Monbaron, Russell, & Taquet - 1999.
