Uberabatitan

• Brazil, Minas Gerais (Marília Formation)

• Uberabatitan ribeiroi

Uberabatitan is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the group of Titanosauria from the Late Cretaceous of South America. So far, three fragmentary skeletons are known to originate from the Marília Formation in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. More Titanosaurier this formation close Trigonosaurus, Baurutitan and Aeolosaurus with a.

Features

Like all sauropods, it was a herbivore with a long neck and tail. Compared to the contemporary Trigonosaurus and Baurutitan Uberabatitan was built relatively large and more robust. The genus can be distinguished by several unique anatomical features ( autapomorphies ) of other genera: So the pubic bone ( pubis ) was thick and sturdy and displays a stocky ventral ridge. The upper ( proximal ) end of the shinbone (tibia) and the fibula ( fibula ) are depending on a lateral projection in combination. Most autapomorphies can be found on the vertebrae: For example, the Postzygodiapophyseal lamina of the anterior and middle cervical vertebra was divided into two separate laminae; also show the vortex centers of the middle caudal vertebrae deep lateral excavations.

System

The relationships within the Titanosauria are unclear. So far, the genus has been included in any phylogenetic analysis.

Fund, taphonomy and naming

The bones come from a quarry ( reference BR -050 B) near the city of Uberaba in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais found. The rocks of the discovery site belong to the upper portion of the Serra da galga Members, a layer link in the Marília Formation, which belongs to the Bauru Group and is dated to the Maastrichtian.

The more than 60 individual bones were recovered between 2004 and 2008 and probably belong to three different individuals, after which point differences in size. Thus, the holotype specimen ( specimen number CPP Urho ) was smaller than Cpp -URB, but larger than CPP UrC. The bones were found within a sedimentary sequence of 1.5 meters thickness. Prior to deposition, the bones were probably transported a short distance from water, and indicate minor rounding and abrasion. The discovery of three individuals of the same species in a place the researchers interpret as mass extinction, which could have been triggered by a periodic droughts.

The finds include 15 cervical vertebrae, two vertebrae, one sacral vertebrae, and vertebrae from different regions of the tail with a. The Appendikulärskelett is through a right chest (sternum ), raven bones ( coracoids ), upper arm bone (humerus ), radius ( radius), metacarpal bones ( metacarpals ), pubic bone ( pubis ), ischial ( ischium ), thigh bone ( femur), tibia, fibula, and by a talus ( astragalus ) represented. The fossils are preserved in the Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas Lewellyn Price in Peirópolis.

Uberabatitan was first scientifically described in 2008 by Leonardo Salgado and Ismar de Souza Carvalho. The name refers to the city of Uberaba, in whose area the fossils were found. The ending titan points to the Titans of Greek mythology. The second part of Artnames, ribeiroi honors Luiz Carlos Borges Ribeiro, director of the Centro de Pesquisas Paleontológicas Lewellyn Price, which promotes the paleontological research in Minas Gerais.

Documents

• L. Salgado, I. d S. Carvalho, 2008: Uberabatitan ribeiroi, a new titanosaur from the Marília Formation ( Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous ), Minas Gerais, Brazil. Palaeontology, Volume 51, Number 4, pages 881-901.

• Titanosauria
• Titanosaurier