Futalognkosaurus

Graphical reconstruction of Futalognkosaurus dukei

• Argentina, Neuquén ( Portezuelo Formation)

• Futalognkosaurus dukei

Futalognkosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the group of Titanosauria from the Upper Cretaceous of South America ( Patagonia).

Yet a single skeleton is known, which is obtained at close to 70% and consists of the cervical and dorsal spine, ribs and pelvis. With a length of approximately 32 to 34 meters Futalognkosaurus was one of the largest known dinosaurs. ( " The most complete previously known giant dinosaur " about ) referred to in the first description of the Fund is known as " the most complete giant dinosaur known so far". The only way is Futalognkosaurus dukei.

Features

Futalognkosaurus can be distinguished by a combination of eight diagnostic features of other genres. For example, the spinous process of the first cervical vertebra ( atlas) was high and triangular. The posterior cervical spinous processes show, which are concave to the rear. The second and third rib sacrum were also fused.

System

In their phylogenetic analysis would consider Calvo and his co-authors Futalognkosaurus as basal ( original ) Representatives of Titanosauridae ( = Lithostrotia ) and as close relatives of Mendozasaurus. Mendozasaurus and Futalognkosaurus summarize the researchers together to form a new group that Lognkosauria. The sister group of the Lognkosauria forms Malawisaurus. In the Traukutitan described in 2011 there could be a further, late representative of the Lognkosauria.

Fund, pathology and naming

First fossil remains ( the neck vertebrae of sauropods ) were found in March 2000 on the northern shore of Lake Los Barreales in the Argentine province of Neuquen. In the following years ( " Futalognko site" ), more than a thousand fossils are collected in this unique, 400 -square-meter reference, which, through their diversity a partial reconstruction of a hitherto unknown continental ecosystem. Other dinosaur fossils this discovery site include the remains of two other, unknown sauropod species, Remains of ornithopod and remains of the Coelurosauriern Mega Raptor and a Unenlagia with. Among the finds were also neck turner turtles ( Pleurodira ), crocodiles and other vertebrates.

The site belongs to the Portezuelo Formation, a geological formation of the Neuquén Group, and is dated to the late Turonian to early Coniacian.

The digested in the locality sedimentary rocks were deposited by a meandering river. The location is also found evidence of a cut-off oxbow lake ( oxbow lake) of the river. The researchers suspect that the Futalognkosaurus - individual died near the river and may have been partially broken down by predators such as crocodiles or the theropod Unenlagia and Mega Raptor. A major flood event could have flushed the carcass into the riverbed, where he worked as a barrier because of its enormous size and accumulated further organic material. The river could have changed its course in the further consequence, leaving a bayou behind the Futalognkosaurus carcass. Fossils of fish indicate that they were probably caught in the resulting oxbow lake.

The excavations of Futalognkosaurus skeleton were completed in 2005. Calvo and colleagues published in 2007 the first scientific description of a new genus and species of Titanosauria, which they called Futalognkosaurus dukei. The name of the genus is derived from the local language Mapudungun; futa means " giant" and lognko " chief ". It is supplemented by the Greek sauros " lizard". The epithet of the type species is named after the Duke Energy Argentina Company, which occurred in 2002 and 2003 as a sponsor of the excavation.

Source

• JO Calvo, JD Porphyrius, BJ Gonzales -Riga & Kellner AWA (2007): A new Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystem from Gondwana with the description of a new sauropod dinosaur. In: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 79 (3 ), pp. 529-541. PDF