A new giant titanosaur sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous of Argentina

Image credit: Jose Luis Carballido/CTyS-UNLaM/AFP

Since the discovery of dinosaur remains in the Neuquen basin in 1882, Argentina has gained the title of Land of the Giants. The tittle was reinforced by the discoveries of titanosaurs like Argentinosaurus, Dreadnoughtus, Notocolossus, Puertasaurus, and Patagotitan. The study of this diverse group of sauropod dinosaurs embrace an extensive list of important contributions, which started with Richard Lydekker’s pioneering work on Patagonian dinosaurs. 

Titanosauria is a diverse clade of sauropod dinosaurs represented by nearly 80 genera described worldwide. The group includes the smallest (e.g. Rinconsaurus, and Saltasaurus; with estimated body masses of approximately 6 tonnes) and largest sauropods known to date. The Argentinean record of titanosaurs is particularly abundant with almost 50% of the total world record. For years, Argentinosaurus huinculensis was considered the largest dinosaur that ever walked the Earth. The tittle is now in possession of Patagotitan mayorum, discovered in 2010. The first estimations of Patagotitan body mass suggested that it weigh around 70 tons and reached 40 metres (131 feet) long. But a new study published in 2020 indicates that the body mass of Patagotitan ranges between 42–71 tons, with a mean value of 57 tons.

 

Figure 2. Caudal sequence of MOZ-Pv 1221 and detail of caudal vertebrae 3, 4, 11 and posterior element. From Otero et al., 2021

A new specimen from the Candeleros Formation (98 Ma) of Neuquén Province probably exceeds Patagotitan in size. This new giant titanosaur sauropod was discovered in 2012 and is the second taxon from Candeleros Formation, in addition to Andesaurus. The new specimen, identified as MOZ-Pv 1221, includes a sequence of anterior and middle caudal vertebrae, consisting of the first 20 mostly articulated caudal vertebrae and haemal arches plus isolated posterior caudals, pelvis and other appendicular elements. The preserved caudal sequence corresponds to approximately the anterior half of the tail. The neural spines of the anterior caudal vertebrae in MOZ-Pv 1221 are transversely wider than anteroposteriorly long.

Compared to other giant titanosaurs, the recovered appendicular bones of MOZ-Pv 1221 are larger than any known titanosaur described to date. The maximum dorsoventral height at the proximal section of the scapula is 17% higher than in Patagotitan, 26% higher than in Dreadnoughtus, and 130% higher than in Mendozasaurus. The maximum proximo distal length of the pubis of MOZ-Pv 1221 is 166 cm, which is 10% longer than in Patagotitan, 18% longer than in Dreadnoughtus, and 21% longer than in Futalognkosaurus. Although it is not currently possible to estimate the body mass of MOZ-Pv 1221 because of the fragmentary nature of this specimen, it is clear that this new titanosaur partially recovered from the Candeleros Formation can be considered one of the largest titanosaurs that ever walked the Earth.

 

References:

Otero A, Carballido JL, Salgado L, Canudo JI, Garrido AC (2021), Report of a giant titanosaur sauropod from the Upper Cretaceous of Neuquén Province, Argentina, Cretaceous Research https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104754

Carballido JL, Pol D, Otero A, Cerda IA, Salgado L, Garrido AC, Ramezani J, Cúneo NR, Krause JM. 2017 A new giant titanosaur sheds light on body mass evolution among sauropod dinosaurs. Proc. R. Soc. B 284: 20171219.
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1219

Otero, A., J. L. Carballido, A. Pérez Moreno. 2020. The appendicular osteology of Patagotitan mayorum (Dinosauria, Sauropoda). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2020.1793158

Benson, R. B. J., Campione, N. E., Carrano, M. T., Mannion, P. D., Sullivan, C., Upchurch, P., & Evans, D. C. (2014). Rates of Dinosaur Body Mass Evolution Indicate 170 Million Years of Sustained Ecological Innovation on the Avian Stem Lineage. PLoS Biology, 12(5), http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001853.