My Absolute Favorite Image: Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis

Sauropod Vertebra Picture of the Week (SV-POW!) Dedicated to all sauropod vertebrae—unless we are discussing Open Access.

ISSN: 3033-3695 | Date: June 4, 2026 | DOI: 10.59350/b6svd-p5w82

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The Origin Story

Back in 2017, the exhibition Dinosaurs Of China: Ground Shakers To Feathered Flyers was hosted at Nottinghamshire's Wollaton Hall. Thanks to the efforts of Curator Adam Smith, those attending the SVPCA were treated to a "field trip" to explore the gallery after the conference.

For me, the undisputed highlight was the cast of Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis depicted in a rearing posture. However, the sheer height of the mount makes it a nightmare to capture in a single, high-quality photograph.

The Production Process

While visiting, Matt captured a series of photos that tracked the skeleton from its head all the way down to its tail. In a display of my typical efficiency, it took me nearly a decade to actually utilize these images.

I decided to "do something" with them. Actually, I decided to ask someone else to do the work. I reached out to Jarrod Davis, a long-time friend of Matt's and an Emmy-winning expert in visual effects, and requested that he stitch the sequence together.

Technical Specifications

To get the best experience, I recommend scaling the image to fit your screen's width.

Image Preview:

I am incredibly grateful to Jarrod for his technical skill and to Matt for the original shots. While this image is intended for a forthcoming paper, it was simply too stunning to keep hidden.

• Finalize research paper
• Print image extra-large for office wall

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Community Discussion

SauropodsRCool: How large is this specimen?

Mike Taylor: It's roughly comparable in size to Diplodocus. (I'm actually working on a paper that reviews the history of how we've depicted sauropods rearing).

SauropodsRCool: Would a mass of $15\text{--}20\text{ tonnes}$ be a reasonable estimate?

Mike Taylor: Back in 2005, Matt estimated Diplodocus at a somewhat low $12.5\text{ tonnes}$. While other estimates exist, I suspect Mamenchisaurus was similar. Because the torso dominates the overall mass of a sauropod, having a slightly longer neck or shorter tail is largely irrelevant to the total weight. For those interested in the physics of this, check out Heinrich Mallison’s analysis of rearing mechanics via his blog: https://dinosaurpalaeo.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/addendum-to-sv-pows-so-close/

The "Biltrex" Mystery

• SauropodsRCool: Thanks for the response!
• biltrex: You're very welcome! I don't contribute to "Science" often, but I'm happy to help when I can. :)
• SauropodsRCool: Wait, are you Mike Taylor, Biltrex?
• Mike Taylor: No, biltrex is actually Jarrod Davis, the VFX artist who stitched the image.

Global Sightings: The Auckland Connection LeeB shared a personal memory from Auckland, New Zealand, where they saw the Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis during a touring Chinese exhibition. Because of ceiling height constraints, the skeleton couldn't rear up, but it was still imposing. LeeB also mentioned:

• A Patagotitan exhibit that was so massive it had to be housed in local showgrounds rather than a museum.
• A Giganotosaurus skull roughly the size of a human adult.

Mike Taylor suggested that the history of this "antipodean Mamenchisaurus" deserves its own paper. LeeB noted that the exhibition produced a booklet titled The Firth Dinosaurs, which drew heavily from the 1987 Melbourne catalogue (Esso's Return of the Dinosaurs) and included a chapter by Brian Gill.

Current Research Links: Mike Taylor is tracking this history via GitHub:

• Timeline: https://github.com/MikeTaylor/palaeo-melbourne-mamenchisaurus/blob/main/timeline.md
• Partial Booklet Scan: https://github.com/MikeTaylor/palaeo-melbourne-mamenchisaurus/blob/main/refs/AucklandMuseum_TheFirthDinosaurs_1987-PARTIAL.pdf

LeeB also mentioned that the Auckland Museum has owned a cast of Malawisaurus dixeyi for several decades.