Rinconsaurus

Live reconstruction of Rinconsaurus caudamirus compared in size to a human.

• Neuquén, Argentina (Neuquén Group)

• Rinconsaurus caudamirus

Rinconsaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the group of Titanosauria that lived during the Late Cretaceous ( Turonian or Coniacian ) of South America. Like all sauropods had Rinconsaurus a large, quadrupeder ( four-footed ) herbivore with a long neck and tail.

So far, the remains of two adult and one juvenile individual are known, all of which were discovered at the same locality in the Argentine province of Neuquen. The only way Rinconsaurus caudamirus, was first described by Calvo and Riga, 2003.

Rinconsaurus was closely related to Muyelensaurus, another Titanosaurier, which was discovered a few kilometers from Rinconsaurus - locality away. With the description of Muyelensaurus in 2007, the researchers found a new group within the Titanosauria that Rinconsauria in which they classify Rinconsaurus and Muyelensaurus.

Features

As the related Muyelensaurus was Rinconsaurus an unusually slender, medium-sized Titanosaurier, which is estimated at a length of 11 meters and a shoulder height of 2.5 meters. Although the skull is preserved only fragmentary, it is assumed that he was like other titanosaurs long and thin. Distinguishing features ( autapomorphies ), where one can distinguish the genus from other genera, including characteristics of the vertebrae with a; eg the spinous processes of the anterior dorsal vertebrae were tilted more than 60 degrees to the rear.

Fund and naming

The fossils were discovered in 1997 by Gabriel Benítez in Río Seco Cañadón, a reference 2 km north of Rincón de los Sauces near the river Río Colorado, and then excavated by the team of Argentine paleontologists Jorge Calvo. Geologically, the reference to the Río Neuquén - formation and thus to the Neuquén Group; the deposits are dated to the Turonian to Coniacian.

The remains consist of vertebrae, caudal vertebrae in anatomical composite, pelvis, leg and arm bones and some cranial bones (including a jaw with teeth ). All bones were associated with each other before, being understood because of the morphological similarity of the same bone from the fact that the bone accumulation is monospecific, ie, that all belonged to the same species bone. The best preserved bones, a series of associated caudal vertebrae was in " life position " with two iliac bones found.

The name is derived from Rinconsaurus Rincón de los Sauces, the city in which the bones were found, and of sauros ( gr ) - " lizard". The Artepitheth caudamirus is derived from the Latin words cauda - "tail" and mirus - " amazing ", " amazing ". The name can thus freely as " dinosaurs from Rincón de los Sauces with the amazing tail" to be translated.