Open Paleo

Adeopapposaurus

Martínez, 2009 ah-dee-o-pah-po-sor-us

From Greek 'adeo' meaning 'to eat one's fill' (or 'far'), 'pappo' meaning 'grandfather' or possibly 'eating', and 'sauros' meaning 'lizard'; meaning 'far eating lizard', referring to its long neck

201.4–174.7 million years ago Hettangian–Toarcian, Early Jurassic
Early Jurassic stages

Adeopapposaurus is a genus of plateosaurian dinosaur from the Early Jurassic Cañón del Colorado Formation of San Juan, Argentina. It was similar to Massospondylus. Four partial skeletons with two partial skulls are known.

Diagnosis

  1. Series of large foramina in a sub-vertical row on the lateral surface of the premaxilla.
  2. Strongly rugose depression bordered by a protuberance with a series of foramina in a sub-vertical row on the lateral surface of the anterior end of the dentary.
  3. Eleven anteroposteriorly elongated cervical vertebrae.
  4. Thirteen dorsal vertebrae with neural arches taller than their respective centra.

Species

Adeopapposaurus mognai Martínez, 2009

Type species

Named for the Mogna locality in San Juan, Argentina, where the fossils were found.

Holotype
PVSJ610 , División de Paleontología de Vertebrados del Museo de Ciencias Naturales y Universidad Nacional de San Juan
Material
Incomplete skeleton: complete skull with mandible in occlusion; complete cervical, dorsal, and sacral vertebral series; nine articulated caudal vertebrae with chevrons; pectoral girdle; forelimbs; incomplete pelvic girdle and hindlimbs.
Horizon
middle Cañón del Colorado Formation, Hettangian–Toarcian, Early Jurassic , 201.4–174.7 million years ago
Locality
southwestern Sierra de Mogna, San Juan, Argentina Martínez (2009) places the holotype in the "Upper Pelitic Member", 148 m from the base, in an earlier scheme; Martínez and Colombi (2011) divide the formation into lower, middle and upper members and name the middle member's pelitic facies as the source of Adeopapposaurus.

References

  1. Martínez, R. N.; Colombi, C. E. (2011). Evolución litofacial y edad de la Formación Cañón del Colorado (Jurásico Inferior), Precordillera Oriental, San Juan [Lithofacial evolution and age of the Cañón del Colorado Formation (Lower Jurassic), Eastern Precordillera, San Juan]. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina 68(1): 96-108.

    Defines lower, middle and upper members and places the Adeopapposaurus fauna in the middle member.

    martínez2011b
  2. Martínez, R. N. (2009). Adeopapposaurus mognai, gen. et sp. nov. (Dinosauria: Sauropodomorpha), with comments on adaptations of basal Sauropodomorpha. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 29(1): 142-164. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1671/039.029.0102 martínez2009a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length, mass, and hip height estimates, and the appearance features.

    jones2026b