[D] Traukutitan eocaudata [sG] [T]
Describer
Juarez-Valieri & Calvo 2011
Time
Cretaceous Late Santonian
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Titanosauria [?Lognkosauria]
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Bajo de la Carpa Formation, Río Colorado Subgroup, Neuquén Group. Sitio Trauku, 5 km southwestern to the Centro Paleontológico Lago Barreales, northern coast of Los Barreales lake, Neuquén Province, Argentina
Info
Abstract
The titanosaurian sauropod comprises the most diverse group of terrestrial tetrapods from the Cretaceous of South America. With around thirty valid species, these dinosaurs covered many of the herbivorous eological niches in this continent (Salgado e Bonaparte, 2007). One of the first characters noted for the titanosaurians was the existence of procoelic caudal vertebrae, and originally was utilized in the diagnosis of the type of the group, the genus Titanosaurus.
With a more complete fossil record, was evident that this character was distributed in a more compresive group, the traditional Titanosauridae (Powell, 2003). Salgado and Calvo (1993) described a notable partial skeleton of a titansaurian (MUCPv 204) that contained the tipical procoelic caudals restricted to the anterior caudals, but with “amphiplatyan” middle caudal vertebrae.
These remains were recovered from sediments of Late Cretaceous age, and this animal was considered as a late survivor of basal titanosaur lineages, although their stratigraphic position was controversial (Juárez Valieri et al., this volume). A review of the type locality allow us to specify the stratigraphical unit of procedence. Here, we redescribe the specimen MUCPv 204, generating comparisson with new titanosaur taxa with similar morphological conditions, and discusse the biostratigraphic implicances of this new taxon.
Etymology
From Trauku, the araucanian mountain spirit, usually represented like a giant; titan is the name of the greek mythological giants. Eocaudata, in reference to the basal morphology displayed in the middle caudal vertebrae present in this form.
Holotype
MUCPv 204: a partial semi-articulated skeleton including femora, and thirteen anterior and middle caudal vertebrae. A partial pubis mentioned as part of the holotypic skeleton was mentioned by Salgado and Calvo (1993), but it could not to be found in the repository of the Comahue University.
Diagnosis
Big sized titanosaurid characterized by the following unique association of characters: Proximal caudal vertebral centra higher than wider, with strongly procoelous center, with the ball placed in the middle-dorsal part of the centrum. Prezygodiapophyseal lamina subvertical, with a ventrocaudal placement of the transverse process at the first caudal. Presence of a single deep foramen ventral to the base of the transverse process. Middle caudal vertebrae wider than length, with procoelous-opisthoplatyan centra, with the upper border of the posterior face lightly enlarged.
Juarez-Valieri & Calvo 2011
Time
Cretaceous Late Santonian
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Titanosauria [?Lognkosauria]
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Bajo de la Carpa Formation, Río Colorado Subgroup, Neuquén Group. Sitio Trauku, 5 km southwestern to the Centro Paleontológico Lago Barreales, northern coast of Los Barreales lake, Neuquén Province, Argentina
Info
Abstract
The titanosaurian sauropod comprises the most diverse group of terrestrial tetrapods from the Cretaceous of South America. With around thirty valid species, these dinosaurs covered many of the herbivorous eological niches in this continent (Salgado e Bonaparte, 2007). One of the first characters noted for the titanosaurians was the existence of procoelic caudal vertebrae, and originally was utilized in the diagnosis of the type of the group, the genus Titanosaurus.
With a more complete fossil record, was evident that this character was distributed in a more compresive group, the traditional Titanosauridae (Powell, 2003). Salgado and Calvo (1993) described a notable partial skeleton of a titansaurian (MUCPv 204) that contained the tipical procoelic caudals restricted to the anterior caudals, but with “amphiplatyan” middle caudal vertebrae.
These remains were recovered from sediments of Late Cretaceous age, and this animal was considered as a late survivor of basal titanosaur lineages, although their stratigraphic position was controversial (Juárez Valieri et al., this volume). A review of the type locality allow us to specify the stratigraphical unit of procedence. Here, we redescribe the specimen MUCPv 204, generating comparisson with new titanosaur taxa with similar morphological conditions, and discusse the biostratigraphic implicances of this new taxon.
Etymology
From Trauku, the araucanian mountain spirit, usually represented like a giant; titan is the name of the greek mythological giants. Eocaudata, in reference to the basal morphology displayed in the middle caudal vertebrae present in this form.
Holotype
MUCPv 204: a partial semi-articulated skeleton including femora, and thirteen anterior and middle caudal vertebrae. A partial pubis mentioned as part of the holotypic skeleton was mentioned by Salgado and Calvo (1993), but it could not to be found in the repository of the Comahue University.
Diagnosis
Big sized titanosaurid characterized by the following unique association of characters: Proximal caudal vertebral centra higher than wider, with strongly procoelous center, with the ball placed in the middle-dorsal part of the centrum. Prezygodiapophyseal lamina subvertical, with a ventrocaudal placement of the transverse process at the first caudal. Presence of a single deep foramen ventral to the base of the transverse process. Middle caudal vertebrae wider than length, with procoelous-opisthoplatyan centra, with the upper border of the posterior face lightly enlarged.