Second specimen of the Late Cretaceous Australian sauropod dinosaur<i>Diamantinasaurus matildae</i>provides new anatomical information on the skull and neck of early titanosaurs

Poropat, Stephen F.; Kundrát, Martin; Mannion, Philip D.; Upchurch, Paul; Tischler, Travis R.; Elliott, David A.

doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa173

Cited by 30 publications

(84 citation statements)

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“…Our preliminary computational phylogenetic assessment provides some support for a hypothesis of a common ancestry for all four Australian taxa (Supplementary Information). Our assessment of the phylogenetic position of A. cooperensis, using the datasets and protocols from two recent analyses (Poropat et al, 2021;Royo-Torres et al, 2020) ). Some assessments did not resolve the topology of the Australian taxa at all, resulting in large polytomies with no support (Figs.…”

Section: Phylogenetic Positionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A preliminary phylogenetic assessment is undertaken using recently published datasets, including those that included the three previously described Australian taxa ( Poropat et al, 2021 ; Royo-Torres et al, 2020 ). The phylogenetic dataset ( Mannion et al, 2019b ) used in both of these recent analyses included the three Australian taxa of interest here, each adding new taxa and characters.…”

Section: Phylogenetic Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using these two recent assessments ( Poropat et al, 2021 ; Royo-Torres et al, 2020 ), we score the character states for Australotitan cooperensis , along with revised character state scores for the Australian taxa, where needed. In particular, we observed a number of characteristics of Wintonotitan wattsi that are poorly preserved or not preserved, making some of the previously scored states equivocal, in our opinion.…”

Section: Phylogenetic Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In both assessments we ran a series of computations using the same protocols and parameters as previously set out ( Mannion et al, 2019b ; Poropat et al, 2021 ; Royo-Torres et al, 2020 ). These included a priori exclusion of fragmentary and unstable taxa, although we note that at least two, perhaps three, of the Australian taxa would fit within this similar protocol based on the level of preservation and unstable nature of their phylogenetic position.…”

Section: Phylogenetic Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Multi-state characters that were previously ordered, were retained as ordered. No new characters were added, numbering 542 ( Royo-Torres et al, 2020 ) and 552 ( Poropat et al, 2021 ) characters. For all assessments the maximum number of trees saved was set to 99,999 (TNT 1.5, Windows no taxon limit).…”

Section: Phylogenetic Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A new giant sauropod,Australotitan cooperensisgen. et sp. nov., from the mid-Cretaceous of Australia

Hocknull

Wilkinson

Lawrence

et al. 2021

PeerJ

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A new giant sauropod, Australotitan cooperensis gen. et sp. nov., represents the first record of dinosaurs from the southern-central Winton Formation of the Eromanga Basin, Australia. We estimate the type locality to be 270–300 m from the base of the Winton Formation and compare this to the semi-contemporaneous sauropod taxa, Diamantinasaurus matildae Hocknull et al., 2009, Wintonotitan wattsi Hocknull et al., 2009 and Savannasaurus elliottorum Poropat et al., 2016. The new titanosaurian is the largest dinosaur from Australia as represented by osteological remains and based on limb-size comparisons it reached a size similar to that of the giant titanosaurians from South America. Using 3-D surface scan models we compare features of the appendicular skeleton that differentiate Australotitan cooperensis gen. et sp. nov. as a new taxon. A key limitation to the study of sauropods is the inability to easily and directly compare specimens. Therefore, 3-D cybertypes have become a more standard way to undertake direct comparative assessments. Uncoloured, low resolution, and uncharacterized 3-D surface models can lead to misinterpretations, in particular identification of pre-, syn- and post-depositional distortion. We propose a method for identifying, documenting and illustrating these distortions directly onto the 3-D geometric surface of the models using a colour reference scheme. This new method is repeatable for researchers when observing and documenting specimens including taphonomic alterations and geometric differences. A detailed comparative and preliminary computational phylogenetic assessment supports a shared ancestry for all four Winton Formation taxa, albeit with limited statistical support. Palaeobiogeographical interpretations from these resultant phylogenetic hypotheses remain equivocal due to contrary Asian and South American relationships with the Australian taxa. Temporal and palaeoenvironmental differences between the northern and southern-central sauropod locations are considered to explain the taxonomic and morphological diversity of sauropods from the Winton Formation. Interpretations for this diversity are explored, including an eco-morphocline and/or chronocline across newly developed terrestrial environments as the basin fills.

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Section: Phylogenetic Positionmentioning

confidence: 99%