Traukutitan

• Argentina, Neuquén ( Bajo de la carpa Formation)

• Traukutitan eocaudata

Traukutitan is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the group of Titanosauria from the Upper Cretaceous of South America. So far, a very fragmentary skeleton is known only consisting of the femur, and caudal vertebrae and comes from the layers of the Bajo de la carpa Formation in the Argentine province of Neuquén. The only known species is Traukutitan eocaudata.

Features

Like all sauropods, it was a herbivore with a long neck and tail. Traukutitan was a great representative of the Titanosauria. From other species it can be distinguished by a unique combination of features: For example, the vertebrae of the anterior caudal vertebrae were, for example, higher than broad and strong procoel (on the front concave). The vertebral bodies of the middle caudal vertebrae were broader than long and nearly amphiplatisch ( front and rear neither concave nor convex). Ventral to Transversprozess a single, deep foramen ( opening) is available. The Präzygodiapophyseal lamina, a bone bridge of the vertebral arches is also aligned subvertical.

System

Traukutitan was one of the more basal ( primitive ) Titanosauria. This can be derived, among others, the amphiplatischen middle caudal vertebrae - so had derived ( advanced ) Titanosauria throughout procoele caudal vertebrae. However, the genus was derived as the very basal Titanosauria Andesaurus, Venenosaurus and Phuwiangosaurus which exhibited throughout amphiplatische caudal vertebrae. The vertebral arches show similarities with Futalognkosaurus and Mendozasaurus, which is also described as Lognkosauria. Thus, it could be at Traukutitan for a late representative of this group.

Fund, history of discovery and naming

The only known Fund ( holotype, specimen number MUCPv 204) consists of two thigh bones ( femurs ) and 13 front and middle caudal vertebrae, which were found partially articulated. A fragmentary pubis ( pubic ) was indeed documented by Salgado and Calvo (1993 ) as another fossil of this finding, however, is apparently lost. The finding comes from the lowermost portion of the Bajo de la carpa - formation from the north coast of the dam Los Barreales and the Santonian, a stage of the Upper Cretaceous, dated. The fossils are preserved in the collection of the National University of wirbeltierpaläontologischen Comahue ( Universidad Nacional del Comahue ).

The skeleton was described in 1993 by Leonardo Salgado and Jorge Calvo, but not named. Only in 2011 was the first description by Rubén Juárez Valieri and Jorge Calvo eocaudata as Traukutitan. The name Traukutitan has Trauku, a mountain spirit of the Mapuche, who is often depicted as a giant. The ending titan is derived from the Titans of Greek mythology. The second part of the species name, eocaudata (Greek eos - " Dawn "; Latin cauda - "tail" ), however, alludes to the original amphiplatische morphology of the middle caudal vertebrae.