Rocasaurus

  • Río Negro, Argentina ( Anacleto Formation)
  • Rocasaurus muniozi

Rocasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the group of Titanosauria. So far, only a femur, pelvic bones and vertebrae have been described, which originate from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina. Within the Titanosauria Rocasaurus is usually counted among the Saltasaurinae - this group includes the most derived ( advanced ) Representatives of Titanosauria. The only way is Rocasaurus muniozi.

Features

The physique stood out in comparison with the presumably closely related genera Saltasaurus and Neuquensaurus by proportionally longer and more slender leg bones. Unique features can be found among others in the caudal vertebrae: So the vertebral bodies were viewed from the side is very low; also the tail vertebrae were highly permeated with air-filled chambers. Other special features can be found in the pelvic bone - so the ischium ( ischium ) was plate-like and longer than Saltasaurus and Neuquensaurus.

Fund, Research History and naming

The fossils are from the reference Salitral Moreno, which is about 25 km south of the city of General Roca located in the Argentine province of Rio Negro. The site includes the lower Subformation the Allen Formation, which came to be deposited in the Upper Campanian and Lower Maastrichtian. The fossil-bearing rock strata is yellowish medium-to coarse-grained sandstones that were deposited fluvial.

In the holotype specimen ( specimen number MPCA - Pv 46) is a young animal, composed of fragments of cervical, dorsal, sacral, and caudal vertebrae, pelvis - two seat legs ( sciatic ) and the pubis ( pubic ) - as well as the left thigh bone (femur) is composed. In addition Rocasaurus more fragmentary vertebrae findings were attributed from the same locality.

Rocasaurus 2000 was described by paleontologists Leonardo Salgado and Azpilicueta Claudia scientifically. The name Rocasaurus has the City General Roca, which is located near the discovery site; the suffix- saurus is derived from the Greek, meaning " lizard". The second part of the species name, muniozi, Juan Carlos Muñoz honors for its lasting commitment to regional paleontological research.

Documents

688982
de