Brasilotitan Temporal range: Late Cretaceous, | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Clade: | Saurischia |
Clade: | † Sauropodomorpha |
Clade: | † Sauropoda |
Clade: | † Macronaria |
Clade: | † Titanosauria |
Clade: | † Lithostrotia |
Genus: | † Brasilotitan Machado et al., 2013 |
Species: | †B. nemophagus |
Binomial name | |
†Brasilotitan nemophagus Machado et al., 2013 | |
Brasilotitan (meaning "Brazil giant") is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian) Adamantina Formation of Brazil. The type species is Brasilotitan nemophagus. Brasilotitan was a small titanosaur with a squared-off snout, and may be closely related to another Brazilian titanosaur, Uberabatitan .
In 2000, William R. Nava collected the partial skeleton of a sauropod along a road in São Paulo state near Presidente Prudente city. In 2013, a team of researchers, including Nava and led by Elaine B. Machado, described the remains as a new genus and species of sauropod, Brasilotitan nemophagus. The genus name refers to its discovery in Brazil and to the Titans of Greek mythology, and the species epithet combines the Greek words némos "pasture, wood" and phagos "to eat", in reference to its herbivorous diet. [1]
Fossils of Brasilotitan nemophagus are known from the Adamantina Formation, [1] although in 2017 Brusatte and colleagues suggested that some of the sauropod fossils reported from the Adamantina Formation may actually come from the Presidente Prudente Formation. [2] The holotype specimen, MPM 125R, is a partial skeleton that consists of the right dentary, two partial cervical vertebrae, a partial sacrum, two fragments of the pelvis pertaining to the ilium and ischium, and an ungual phalanx. A tooth fragment that was found nearby, MPM 126R, may belong to the same skeleton. The holotype specimen was likely scavenged by theropods before being buried, as some of the bones show puncture marks and theropod teeth were found alongside the skeleton. [1]
Brasilotitan was small for a sauropod, probably less than 12 metres (39 ft) long. [3] As in several other titanosaurs, the mandible is L-shaped, producting a squared-off snout. The symphyseal region of the dentary is slightly twisted medially, a feature never recorded before in any titanosaur.The neural spines of the cervical vertebrae are relatively low. [1]
Although the phylogenetic position of Brasilotitan is difficult to establish, the new species is neither basal nor a derived member of Titanosauria. Based on lower jaw morphology, it appears to be closely related to Antarctosaurus and Bonitasaura . This discovery enriches the titanosaur diversity of Brazil and provides further new anatomical information on the lower jaws of those herbivorous dinosaurs. [1]
Phylogenetic analyses have found Brasilotitan to be the sister taxon of another Brazilian titanosaur, Uberabatitan . [4] [5] Filippi et al. included Brasilotitan in what they called "Clade A", a grouping of titanosaurs with square jaws. [5]
Antarctosaurus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. The type species, Antarctosaurus wichmannianus, and a second species, Antarctosaurus giganteus, were described by prolific German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene in 1929. Three additional species of Antarctosaurus have been named since then but later studies have considered them dubious or unlikely to pertain to the genus.
Aeolosaurus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. Like most sauropods, it would have been a quadrupedal herbivore with a long neck and tail. Aeolosaurus is well known for a titanosaur, as it is represented by the remains of several individuals belonging to at least two species. However, like most titanosaurs, no remains of the skull are known. The holotype of Aeolosaurus rionegrinus consists of a series of seven tail vertebrae, as well as parts of both forelimbs and the right hindlimb. It was discovered in the Angostura Colorada Formation in Argentina, which dates from the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous, about 83 to 74 million years ago. The species A. maximus was transferred over to the new genus Arrudatitan in 2021.
Adamantisaurus is a poorly-known genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. It is only known from six tail vertebrae but, as a sauropod, it can be assumed that this dinosaur was a very large animal with a long neck and tail.
Rocasaurus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod that lived in South America. Rocasaurus was discovered in Argentina in 2000, within the Allen Formation which is dated to be middle Campanian to early Maastrichtian in age. This genus grew up to 8 metres (26 ft) long, making it one of the smaller sauropods. It seems to be closely related to saltasaurid dinosaurs, like Saltasaurus and Neuquensaurus.
Rinconsaurus is a genus of titanosaur sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous in what is now Argentina. The type species, Rinconsaurus caudamirus, was described by Calvo and Riga in 2003, and is based on three partial skeletons.
Maxakalisaurus is a genus of titanosaur dinosaur, found in the Adamantina Formation of Brazil, in the state of Minas Gerais in 1998. The genus name is derived from the tribe of the Maxakali; Topa is one of their divinities.
Uberabatitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil. It is known from bones including neck, back, and tail vertebrae, pelvic bones, and limb bones. These fossils were found in the uppermost portion of the Maastrichtian-age Serra da Galga Formation of the Bauru Group, in Uberaba, Minas Gerais. The type species, described by Salgado and Carvalho in 2008, is U. ribeiroi. To date, it is the most recent titanosaur from Bauru Group rocks; other titanosaurs from the Bauru Group, including Baurutitan and Trigonosaurus, come from lower levels.
Lognkosauria is a clade of giant long-necked sauropod dinosaurs within the clade Titanosauria. It includes some of the largest and heaviest dinosaurs known. They lived in South America and likely Asia during the Late Cretaceous period.
Petrobrasaurus is a genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur. It is a titanosaur which lived during the upper Cretaceous period in what is now Rincón de los Sauces, Patagonia, Argentina. It is known from the holotype MAU-Pv-PH-449 — a partial disarticulated skeleton recovered from the Plottier Formation, Argentina. This genus was named by Leonardo S. Filippi, José Ignacio Canudo, Leonardo J. Salgado, Alberto C. Garrido, Rodolfo A. Garcia, Ignacio A. Cerda and Alejandro Otero in 2011, and the type species is Petrobrasaurus puestohernandezi. The generic name is derived from "Petrobras" and saurus, "lizard". The specific name refers to the Puesto Hernández oil field, where the fossil remains were found.
Aeolosaurini is an extinct clade of titanosaurian dinosaurs known from the Cretaceous period of Argentina and Brazil. Rodrigo M. Santucci and Antonio C. de Arruda-Campos (2011) in their cladistic analysis found Aeolosaurus, Gondwanatitan, Maxakalisaurus, Panamericansaurus and Rinconsaurus to be aeolosaurids.
Notocolossus is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from late Cretaceous strata of Mendoza Province, Argentina.
Austroposeidon is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Presidente Prudente Formation of Brazil. It contains one species, Austroposeidon magnificus.
Shingopana is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous Galula Formation of Tanzania. It is known from only the type species, S. songwensis. Gorscak & O'Connor's phylogenetic testing suggest Shingopana is more closely related to the South American titanosaur family of Aeolosaurini than any of the titanosaurs found so far in North & South Africa.
Choconsaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous sauropod dinosaur belonging to the group Titanosauriformes, which lived in the area of present-day Argentina at the end of the Cretaceous.
Mansourasaurus is a genus of herbivorous lithostrotian sauropod dinosaur from the Quseir Formation of Egypt. The type and only species is Mansourasaurus shahinae.
Kaijutitan is a genus of basal titanosaur dinosaur from the Sierra Barrosa Formation from Neuquén Province in Argentina. The type and only species is Kaijutitan maui.
Punatitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Ciénaga del Río Huaco Formation of La Rioja, Argentina. It contains one species, Punatitan coughlini.
Arrudatitan is an extinct genus of titanosaur sauropod dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian)-aged Adamantina Formation of Brazil. The type species, A. maximus, was named and described in 2011 as a species of Aeolosaurus, but was separated into its own genus in 2021. It was relatively gracile for a titanosaur.
Ibirania is a genus of dwarf saltasaurine titanosaur dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous São José do Rio Preto Formation of Southeast Brazil. The type species is Ibirania parva. It is one of the smallest sauropods known to date, comparable in size to the titanosaur Magyarosaurus.
Inawentu is an extinct genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Bajo de la Carpa Formation of Argentina. The genus contains a single species, I. oslatus, known from a partial articulated skeleton including the skull. The square-shaped jaw of Inawentu demonstrates convergent characteristics with rebbachisaurids.