Open Paleo

Rebbachisauridae

Bonaparte, 1997 Type genus Rebbachisaurus

Its genera lived 154.8–89.8 million years ago Late Jurassic–Late Cretaceous

Rebbachisauridae is a family of diplodocoid sauropods known from fragmentary remains from the Cretaceous of Gondwana and beyond, with records in South America, Africa, Europe, and possibly North America and Central Asia. They include such genera as Nigersaurus and Limaysaurus, and are grouped into subfamilies, chiefly the Limaysaurinae and the Rebbachisaurinae, both nested within the clade Khebbashia. Though firmly placed within the superfamily Diplodocoidea, rebbachisaurids lack the divided (bifid) cervical neural spines of the diplodocids and dicraeosaurids and are regarded as more primitive than those groups. They are set apart from other sauropods by their distinctive teeth, which show low-angle internal wear facets and asymmetrical enamel, and some members such as Nigersaurus evolved dental batteries comparable to those of hadrosaurs and ceratopsians. Restricted to the early and middle part of the Late Cretaceous, they were the last surviving diplodocoids and lived alongside the titanosaurs until fairly late in the period.

Diagnosis

  1. Loss of the hyposphene-hypantrum accessory articulations in the anterior caudal vertebrae (retained in the basalmost members)
  2. Spinodiapophyseal lamina present and often festooned on the dorsal neural spines
  3. Middle caudal centra nearly cylindrical with a flattened ventral margin
  4. Scapular acromion expanded, with a racquet-shaped distal scapular blade in many taxa

Clades within Rebbachisauridae

Genera placed directly in Rebbachisauridae

  • Agustinia Bonaparte, 1999 Albian (113.2–100.5 Ma)Argentinaunder dispute
  • Amazonsaurus Carvalho et al., 2003 Aptian–Albian (121.4–100.5 Ma)Brazil
  • Astigmasaura Bellardini et al., 2025 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)Argentina
  • Campananeyen Lerzo et al., 2025 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Argentina
  • Cienciargentina Simón & Salgado, 2025 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Argentina
  • Comahuesaurus Carballido et al., 2012 Aptian–Albian (121.4–100.5 Ma)Argentina
  • Histriasaurus Dalla Vecchia, 1998 Hauterivian–Barremian (132.6–121.4 Ma)Croatia
  • Itapeuasaurus Lindoso et al., 2019 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Brazilunder dispute
  • Katepensaurus Ibiricu et al., 2013 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)Argentinaunder dispute
  • Lavocatisaurus Canudo et al., 2018 Aptian–Albian (121.4–100.5 Ma)Argentina
  • Maraapunisaurus Carpenter, 2018 Kimmeridgian–Tithonian (154.8–143.1 Ma)United States
  • Nopcsaspondylus Nomen dubium Apesteguía, 2007 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Argentinaincertae sedis
  • Rayososaurus Bonaparte, 1996 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Argentinaunder dispute
  • Sidersaura Lerzo et al., 2025 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)Argentina
  • Xenoposeidon Taylor & Naish, 2007 Berriasian (143.1–137.1 Ma)United Kingdomunder dispute
  • Zapalasaurus Salgado et al., 2006 Barremian–Aptian (125.8–113.2 Ma)Argentina

References

  1. Bonaparte, J. F. (1997). Rayososaurus agrioensis Bonaparte 1995. Ameghiniana 34: 116.

    Nomenclatural note credited as the authority for Rebbachisauridae.

    bonaparte1997a
  2. Salgado, L.; Garrido, A.; Cocca, S. E.; Cocca, J. R. (2004). Lower Cretaceous rebbachisaurid sauropods from Cerro Aguada del León (Lohan Cura Formation), Neuquén Province, northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 24(4): 903-912. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2004)024[0903:lcrsfc]2.0.co;2

    Applied the stem-based definition of Rebbachisauridae and named Limaysaurus.

    salgado2004a