Open Paleo

Titanosauria

Bonaparte & Coria, 1993

Its genera lived 137.1–66.0 million years ago Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous stages

Titanosauria is a diverse clade of sauropod dinosaurs known from every continent, including Antarctica, and the last group of long-necked sauropods to survive up to the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous. It spans the widest range of body size of any sauropod group, encompassing some of the largest land animals ever to have lived, such as Patagotitan, Argentinosaurus, and Puertasaurus, alongside dwarf forms like the island-dwelling Magyarosaurus. Titanosaurs had small, wide heads and whip-like tails, and the skin of many was studded with a mosaic of small bead-like scales. Together with the brachiosaurids and their relatives, they make up the larger clade Titanosauriformes, and most members apart from a few basal genera fall within a subgroup called Lithostrotia. Their fossil record is the least complete of any major sauropod group, and the relationships among the species remain poorly resolved.

Diagnosis

  1. Procoelous caudal vertebrae (concave anteriorly, convex posteriorly)
  2. Osteoderms (bony dermal armor) present in many taxa
  3. Wide-gauge (laterally splayed) limb posture
  4. Loss of manual phalanges in derived forms
  5. Strongly opisthocoelous dorsal vertebrae
  6. Expanded iliac blade with a preacetabular process directed laterally

Clades within Titanosauria

Genera placed directly in Titanosauria

  • Aegyptosaurus Stromer, 1932 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Egypt
  • Andesaurus Calvo & Bonaparte, 1991 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Argentina
  • Antarctosaurus Huene, 1929 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Argentina
  • Argyrosaurus Lydekker, 1893 Campanian–Maastrichtian (83.6–66.0 Ma)Argentina
  • Baalsaurus Calvo & González Riga, 2019 Turonian–Coniacian (93.9–85.7 Ma)Argentina
  • Barrosasaurus Salgado & Coria, 2009 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Argentina
  • Borealosaurus You et al., 2004 Albian (113.2–100.5 Ma)China
  • Gandititan Han et al., 2024 Cenomanian–Turonian (100.5–89.8 Ma)China
  • Hamititan Wang et al., 2021 Valanginian (137.1–132.6 Ma)China
  • Hypselosaurus Nomen dubium Matheron, 1869 Campanian–Maastrichtian (83.6–66.0 Ma)Franceunder dispute
  • Jainosaurus Hunt et al., 1994 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)India
  • Kaijutitan Filippi et al., 2019 Coniacian (89.8–85.7 Ma)Argentina
  • Laplatasaurus Huene, 1929 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Argentina
  • Loricosaurus Nomen dubium Huene, 1929 Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)Argentinaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Microcoelus Nomen dubium Lydekker, 1893 Santonian (85.7–83.6 Ma)Argentina
  • Ninjatitan Gallina et al., 2021 Valanginian (137.1–132.6 Ma)Argentinaincertae sedisunder dispute
  • Normanniasaurus Le Loeuff et al., 2013 Albian (113.2–100.5 Ma)France
  • Petrobrasaurus Filippi et al., 2011 Coniacian–Santonian (89.8–83.6 Ma)Argentina
  • Rukwatitan Gorscak et al., 2014 Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)Tanzania
  • Sonidosaurus Xu et al., 2006 Coniacian–Maastrichtian (89.8–66.0 Ma)Chinaunder dispute
  • Tiamat Pereira et al., 2024 Albian–Cenomanian (113.2–93.9 Ma)Brazil
  • Titanosaurus Nomen dubium Lydekker, 1877 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)India
  • Traukutitan Juárez Valieri & Calvo, 2011 Santonian (85.7–83.6 Ma)Argentina
  • Vahiny Curry Rogers & Wilson, 2014 Maastrichtian (72.2–66.0 Ma)Madagascar

References

  1. Bonaparte, J. F.; Coria, R. A. (1993). Un nuevo y gigantesco saurópodo titanosaurio de la Formación Rio Limay (Albanio-Cenomaniano) de la Provincia del Neuquén, Argentina [A new and huge titanosaur sauropod from the Rio Limay Formation (Albian-Cenomanian) of Neuquén Province, Argentina]. Ameghiniana 30(3): 271-282.

    Coined the name Titanosauria.

    bonaparte1993a
  2. Salgado, L.; Coria, R. A.; Calvo, J. O. (1997). Evolution of titanosaurid sauropods. I: phylogenetic analysis based on the postcranial evidence. Ameghiniana 34: 3-32.

    Provided the first phylogenetic definition of Titanosauria.

    salgado1997a