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New Titanosauria (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) remains from the Upper Cretaceous (Plottier Fm) of the southern Neuquén Basin (Patagonia, Argentina)

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Abstract

Purpose

New sauropod remains (MCF-PVPH-889, MCF-PVPH-899, and MCF-PVPH-900) collected from the Plottier Fm (Coniacian–Santonian) in the south-west of the Neuquén Basin, are here reported. The materials proceed from a fluvial outcrop composed by siltstone and fine sandstone, whose fossil record is known for large-sized sauropod taxa.

Methods

Due to the fragmentary condition of the dorsal ribs and the tibia, we focus the description mainly on the femur and the fibula.

Results

The specimen MCF-PVPH-889 consists of partially associated postcranial elements represented by a left femur and three fragmentary dorsal ribs of a Titanosauria indet. A right fibula (MCF-PVPH-900) represents another titanosaurian element, while a proximal portion of a right tibia (MCF-PVPH-899) of a smaller individual than others is here referred to as a Sauropoda indet. MCF-PVPH-889 and MCF-PVPH-900 share some features with other titanosaurian taxa (e.g., a femur with medial deflection of the proximal end and elliptical mid-shaft cross-section, a fibula with slightly sigmoidal shaft and well-developed lateral tuberosity) like in Epachthosaurus and Antarctosaurus. However, the femur, with a poorly developed lateral bulge and a relatively low head, and a fibula, with a slender and nearly straight proximal third of the shaft, represent plesiomorphic conditions among titanosaurians.

Conclusions

The new remains represent a new sauropod record from the Plottier Fm (Upper Cretaceous). Nevertheless, due to the lack of more diagnostic elements, we prefer to consider the specimens MCF-PVPH-889 and MCF-PVPH-900 as Titanosauria indet, and the MCF-PVPH-899 as Sauropoda indet. This new evidence expands the Coniacian sauropod record of the Neuquén Basin and contributes, in some measure, to our knowledge of the stratigraphical distribution of sauropods from the Patagonian Upper Cretaceous fossil-bearing levels.

Resumen

Objetivos

se reportan nuevos ejemplares de saurópodos (MCF-PVPH-889, MCF-PVPH-899, y MCF-PVPH-900) coleccionados de la Fm Plottier (Coniaciense-Santoniense) en el suroeste de la Cuenca Neuquina. Los materiales provienen de un afloramiento fluvial con areniscas y limolitas finas, con un reconocido registro de taxones de saurópodos de gran porte.

Métodos

Debido a la condición fragmentaria de la tibia y las costillas dorsales, la descripción está principalmente focalizada en el fémur y la fíbula.

Resultados

El ejemplar MCF-PVPH-889 consiste en elementos postcranianos parcialmente asociados representados por un fémur izquierdo y tres fragmentos de costillas dorsales de un Titanosauria indet. Una fíbula derecha MCF-PVPH-900 representa otro elemento referible a Titanosauria, mientras una porción proximal de una tibia derecha (MCF-PVPH-899) de un individuo más pequeño que los otros es referida como Sauropoda indet. MCF-PVPH-889 y MCF-PVPH-900 comparten algunos caracteres con otros taxones de titanosaurios (p.e. un fémur con projección medial del extremo proximal y una sección transversal de forma elíptica a mitad de la diáfisis, y una fíbula con diáfisis ligeramente sigmoidea y un trocánter lateral bien desarrollado) como en Epachthosaurus y Antarctosaurus. Sin embargo, el fémur con una comba lateral poco desarrollada y una cabeza relativamente baja, y una fíbula con una diáfisis con el tercio proximal casi recto, representan condiciones plesiomórficas entre los titanosaurios.

Conclusiones

Los nuevos elementos representan un nuevo registro de saurópodos de la Fm Plottier (Cretácico Superior). No obstante, debido a la falta de caracteres diagnósticos, preferimos considerar los ejemplares MCF-PVPH-889 y MCF-PVPH-900 como Titanosauria indet, y MCF-PVPH-899 como un Sauropoda indet, Esta nueva evidencia incrementa el registro de saurópodos del Coniaciense de la Cuenca Neuquina, y contribuye, en algo, a nuestro conocimiento sobre la distribución estratigráfica de los saurópodos provenientes de los niveles fosilíferos del Cretácico Superior de Patagonia.

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Acknowledgements

We thank S. Segel for reporting the fossil find; the Dirección Provincial de Patrimonio Cultural of Neuquén Province for legal and partial financial support of the field-work; the Museo Municipal ‘Carmen Funes’ of Plaza Huincul for technical and logistical support during the field-work; E. Montes (MCF) for assisting in the lab-preparation of the material; U. Abendaño and F. Perri for field-work assistance and logistics. V. Díez Díaz and J. A. Whitlock reviewed the manuscript and provided constructive comments and suggestions. K. Kamra helped with the English editing. BH is the beneficiary of a PhD scholarship (140789/2016-2) granted by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) from the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Museo Municipal ‘Carmen Funes’, Av. Córdoba, 55, 8318, Plaza Huincul, Neuquén, Argentina

    Flavio Bellardini, Mattia A. Baiano & Rodolfo A. Coria

  2. Subsecretaría de Cultura, Dirección Provincial de Patrimonio Cultural, Vuelta de Obligado, 50, 8300, Neuquén, Neuquén, Argentina

    Flavio Bellardini & Rodolfo A. Coria

  3. CONICET-IIPG, Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Av. General Roca 1242, 8332, General Roca, Río Negro, Argentina

    Mattia A. Baiano, Francisco Barrios & Rodolfo A. Coria

  4. CONICET-Museo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales ‘Prof. Olsacher’, Ejercito Argentino y Etcheluz, 8340, Zapala, Neuquén, Argentina

    Francisco Barrios

  5. Laboratory of Systematics and Taphonomy of Fossil Vertebrates, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Museu Nacional/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20940-040, Brazil

    Borja Holgado

Authors
  1. Flavio Bellardini
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  2. Mattia A. Baiano
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  3. Francisco Barrios
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  4. Borja Holgado
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  5. Rodolfo A. Coria
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Flavio Bellardini.

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Bellardini, F., Baiano, M.A., Barrios, F. et al. New Titanosauria (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) remains from the Upper Cretaceous (Plottier Fm) of the southern Neuquén Basin (Patagonia, Argentina). J Iber Geol 44, 75–84 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-018-0047-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-018-0047-5

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