Dasosaurus

Dasosaurus; Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, Aptian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Dinosauria
Clade:	Saurischia
Clade:	† Sauropodomorpha
Clade:	† Sauropoda
Clade:	† Macronaria
Clade:	† Somphospondyli
Genus:	† Dasosaurus ; Mayer et al., 2026
Type species
	†Dasosaurus tocantinensis ; Mayer et al., 2026

Last updated February 13, 2026

Dasosaurus is an extinct genus of somphospondylan sauropod dinosaurs known from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) Brazil. The genus is monotypic with Dasosaurus tocantinensis, being the only known species. Its morphology is similar to the titanosauriformes, Garumbatitan , from Early Cretaceous of Spain.^[1]

Discovery and naming

The holotype of Dasosaurus, CPHNAM VT 1600, is a partial skeleton, which consists of phalanges, ribs, ulna, radius, tibia, fibula, femur, pubic, ischium and at least 10 disarticulated caudal vertebrae, discovered in the Parnaíba Tectonic Province of Brazil.

In 2026, Elver L. Mayer and colleagues described Dasosaurus tocantinensis as a new genus and species of somphospondylan sauropod dinosaurs on the basis of these fossil remains, establishing CPHNAM VT 1600 as the holotype specimen.

The generic name, Dasosaurus, combines the Greek word dasos, meaning 'forest' in reference to the type locality which is in Amazônia Legal, a division of Brazil that includes majority of Amazon rainforest, with another Greek word saurus, meaning 'lizard'. The specific name, tocantinensis, is after the Tocantins where the type locality is situated.

References

↑ Mayer, E. L.; Silva Junior, J. C. G.; Kerber, L.; Navarro, B. A.; Bandeira, K. L. N.; Cisneros, J. C.; Sousa, E. P.; Pereira, A. A.; Medeiros, M. A.; Lindoso, R. M.; Cavalcanti Neto, F. P.; Ghilardi, A. M.; Aureliano, T.; Godoy, P. L.; Ferreira, G. S.; Langer, M. C. (2026). "A new titanosauriform with European affinities in the Early Cretaceous of Brazil: insights on Somphospondyli phylogeny, histology and biogeography". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 24 2601579. doi:10.1080/14772019.2025.2601579.

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[1] Mayer, E. L.; Silva Junior, J. C. G.; Kerber, L.; Navarro, B. A.; Bandeira, K. L. N.; Cisneros, J. C.; Sousa, E. P.; Pereira, A. A.; Medeiros, M. A.; Lindoso, R. M.; Cavalcanti Neto, F. P.; Ghilardi, A. M.; Aureliano, T.; Godoy, P. L.; Ferreira, G. S.; Langer, M. C. (2026). "A new titanosauriform with European affinities in the Early Cretaceous of Brazil: insights on Somphospondyli phylogeny, histology and biogeography". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 24 2601579. doi:10.1080/14772019.2025.2601579.

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