[D] Saltasaurus [sG]
Describer
Bonaparte & Powell, 1980
Time
Cretaceous Late Campanian Maastrichtian
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Titanosauria
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Argentina Urugay
Fall Under
Saltasaurus loricatus
Length
12 meter
Info
Genus - Skin (unkown typespecies)
Saltasaurus (Bonaparte & Powell, 1980) = Microcoelus (Lydekker, 1893) Loricosaurus (Huene, 1929)
Saltasaurus > Saltasaurus loricatus (Bonaparte & Powell, 1980) > Saltasaurus robustus (Huene, 1929) = Titanosaurus robustus (Huene, 1929)
Saltasaurus > Saltasaurus australis (Lydekker, 1893) = Titanosaurus australis (Lydekker, 1893) >> Microcoelus patagonicus (Lydekker, 1893) Loricosaurus scutatus (Huene, 1929) Titanosaurus nanus (Lydekker, 1893)
Saltasaurus is a relatively small, stocky-limbed titanosaurid. Known from a series of associated but largely disarticulated bones of a number of individuals representing all parts of the skeleton except most of the skull and many of the foot bones. The forelimb bones are massive. Body armour consisting of both dermal plates and tightly packed globular osteoderms was founded associated with bones of Saltasaurus.
Before paleontologist in Argentina identified Saltasaurus (\\\"Salta lizard\\\") in 1980, they had assumed that its bony armour, long known from fossil find in their country, had belonged to nodosaurids to which Huene (1929) had originally assigned them. Close-packed bony nodules and ridged, bony plates as big as a human palm fortified its back and sides.
The same Late Cretaceous rock formations in which Saltasaurus bones were discovered also contain the skeletons of other titanosaurids like Antarctosaurus, Argyrosaurus and Laplatasaurus. Very likely, most or all of these had armour plating too.Three species of this fairly small sauropod are known: Saltasaurus loricatus (about six imperfect skeletons) Saltasaurus australis (ten individuals at least) and Saltasaurus robustus (vertebrae and limbs possibly from three specimens).
The 1980 description of fossil scraps of Saltasaurus\\\'s skin, whith its bony, pea-sized lumps, supported what one scientist had suspected as long ago as 1896: that titanosaurids had been armoured sauropods.
Bonaparte & Powell, 1980
Time
Cretaceous Late Campanian Maastrichtian
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Titanosauria
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Argentina Urugay
Fall Under
Saltasaurus loricatus
Length
12 meter
Info
Genus - Skin (unkown typespecies)
Saltasaurus (Bonaparte & Powell, 1980) = Microcoelus (Lydekker, 1893) Loricosaurus (Huene, 1929)
Saltasaurus > Saltasaurus loricatus (Bonaparte & Powell, 1980) > Saltasaurus robustus (Huene, 1929) = Titanosaurus robustus (Huene, 1929)
Saltasaurus > Saltasaurus australis (Lydekker, 1893) = Titanosaurus australis (Lydekker, 1893) >> Microcoelus patagonicus (Lydekker, 1893) Loricosaurus scutatus (Huene, 1929) Titanosaurus nanus (Lydekker, 1893)
Saltasaurus is a relatively small, stocky-limbed titanosaurid. Known from a series of associated but largely disarticulated bones of a number of individuals representing all parts of the skeleton except most of the skull and many of the foot bones. The forelimb bones are massive. Body armour consisting of both dermal plates and tightly packed globular osteoderms was founded associated with bones of Saltasaurus.
Before paleontologist in Argentina identified Saltasaurus (\\\"Salta lizard\\\") in 1980, they had assumed that its bony armour, long known from fossil find in their country, had belonged to nodosaurids to which Huene (1929) had originally assigned them. Close-packed bony nodules and ridged, bony plates as big as a human palm fortified its back and sides.
The same Late Cretaceous rock formations in which Saltasaurus bones were discovered also contain the skeletons of other titanosaurids like Antarctosaurus, Argyrosaurus and Laplatasaurus. Very likely, most or all of these had armour plating too.Three species of this fairly small sauropod are known: Saltasaurus loricatus (about six imperfect skeletons) Saltasaurus australis (ten individuals at least) and Saltasaurus robustus (vertebrae and limbs possibly from three specimens).
The 1980 description of fossil scraps of Saltasaurus\\\'s skin, whith its bony, pea-sized lumps, supported what one scientist had suspected as long ago as 1896: that titanosaurids had been armoured sauropods.