Osteology, paleohistology and phylogenetic relationships of Pellegrinisaurus powelli (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentinean Patagonia

Cerda, Ignacio Alejandro; Zurriaguz, Virginia Laura; Carballido, José Luis; González, Romina; Salgado, Leonardo

doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104957

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Tastavinsaurus ), Patagotitan mayorum , and saltasaurid titanosaurs, wherein this margin lies lateral to the lateral margin of the distal half of the femoral shaft [96,101,109,221,232,238,239]. The anterior surface (figure 25 b,c ) preserves a longitudinal midline ridge ( linea intermuscularis cranialis ) and a concavity on its proximal two-thirds, as is also the case in the Diamantinasaurus matildae holotype (figure 25 a ; [37]), as well as several other titanosaurs, including Alamosaurus , Australotitan , Pellegrinisaurus powelli and saltasaurines [5,34,240,241]. The fourth trochanter, which is situated on the posterior surface, slightly proximal to the mid-length (figure 25 g ), is manifested as a low, rounded ridge, contrasting with saltasaurines, wherein it is reduced to near absence [2].…”

Section: Hind Limbmentioning

confidence: 81%

A nearly complete skull of the sauropod dinosaurDiamantinasaurus matildaefrom the Upper Cretaceous Winton Formation of Australia and implications for the early evolution of titanosaurs

et al. 2023

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Titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs were diverse and abundant throughout the Cretaceous, with a global distribution. However, few titanosaurian taxa are represented by multiple skeletons, let alone skulls. Diamantinasaurus matildae , from the lower Upper Cretaceous Winton Formation of Queensland, Australia, was heretofore represented by three specimens, including one that preserves a braincase and several other cranial elements. Herein, we describe a fourth specimen of Diamantinasaurus matildae that preserves a more complete skull—including numerous cranial elements not previously known for this taxon—as well as a partial postcranial skeleton. The skull of Diamantinasaurus matildae shows many similarities to that of the coeval Sarmientosaurus musacchioi from Argentina (e.g. quadratojugal with posterior tongue-like process; braincase with more than one ossified exit for cranial nerve V; compressed-cone–chisel-like teeth), providing further support for the inclusion of both taxa within the clade Diamantinasauria. The replacement teeth within the premaxilla of the new specimen are morphologically congruent with teeth previously attributed to Diamantinasaurus matildae , and Diamantinasauria more broadly, corroborating those referrals. Plesiomorphic characters of the new specimen include a sacrum comprising five vertebrae (also newly demonstrated in the holotype of Diamantinasaurus matildae ), rather than the six or more that typify other titanosaurs. However, we demonstrate that there have been a number of independent acquisitions of a six-vertebrae sacrum among Somphospondyli and/or that there have been numerous reversals to a five-vertebrae sacrum, suggesting that sacral count is relatively plastic. Other newly identified plesiomorphic features include: the overall skull shape, which is more similar to brachiosaurids than ‘derived' titanosaurs; anterior caudal centra that are amphicoelous, rather than procoelous; and a pedal phalangeal formula estimated as 2-2-3-2-0. These features are consistent with either an early-branching position within Titanosauria, or a position just outside the titanosaurian radiation, for Diamantinasauria, as indicated by alternative character weighting approaches applied in our phylogenetic analyses, and help to shed light on the early assembly of titanosaurian anatomy that has until now been obscured by a poor fossil record.

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