Kenneth J. Lacovara, Matthew C. Lamanna, Lucio M.
Ibiricu, Jason C. Poole, Elena R. Schroeter, Paul V. Ullmann, Kristyn K.
Voegele, Zachary M. Boles, Aja M. Carter, Emma K. Fowler, Victoria M. Egerton,
Alison E. Moyer, Christopher L. Coughenour, Jason P. Schein, Jerald D. Harris, Rubén
D. Martínez & Fernando E. Novas.
Titanosaurian
sauropod dinosaurs were the most diverse and abundant large-bodied herbivores
in the southern continents during the final 30 million years of the Mesozoic
Era. Several titanosaur species are regarded as the most massive land-living
animals yet discovered; nevertheless, nearly all of these giant titanosaurs are
known only from very incomplete fossils, hindering a detailed understanding of
their anatomy. Here we describe a new and gigantic titanosaur, Dreadnoughtus
schrani, from Upper Cretaceous sediments in southern Patagonia, Argentina.
Represented by approximately 70% of the postcranial skeleton, plus craniodental
remains, Dreadnoughtus is the most complete giant titanosaur yet discovered,
and provides new insight into the morphology and evolutionary history of these
colossal animals. Furthermore, despite its estimated mass of about 59.3 metric
tons, the bone histology of the Dreadnoughtus type specimen reveals that this
individual was still growing at the time of death.
Lacovara, K.J. et al. A Gigantic,
Exceptionally Complete Titanosaurian Sauropod Dinosaur from Southern Patagonia,
Argentina. Sci. Rep. 4, 6196; DOI:10.1038/srep06196 (2014).
