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Ceratocaudia

Natarajan et al., 2026

Cerato- (Greek, horn) + caud- (Greek, tail), for the horn-like crest on the anterior caudal neural spines; gender feminine.

184.2–168.2 million years ago Toarcian–Bajocian, Early Jurassic–Middle Jurassic
Early Jurassic and Middle Jurassic stages

Ceratocaudia is a genus of macronarian sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Kaladongar Formation of Gujarat, India. The genus contains a single species, the type species Ceratocaudia antiqua, known from a partial skeleton.

Diagnosis

  1. Small notch on the apex of the postzygapophyseal articular facet of the anterior cervical vertebra, positioned just below the epipophysis.
  2. Anterior caudal vertebrae with tall neural spines bearing a flat dorsal edge and an anteriorly directed, curved horn-like crest on the posterodorsal corner.
  3. Caudal centra amphicoelous to platycoelous through the anterior and middle series, with a gradual transition to procoelous articular facets in the posterior caudal vertebrae.
  4. Anterior and middle chevrons with split (bifurcate) articular facets on their rami.
  5. Distal tibia with a deeply concave, proximodistally oriented notch on its anterior surface.
  6. Fibula with a well-developed anterior crest on the proximal diaphysis and a subtriangular distal epiphysis.

Species

Ceratocaudia antiqua Natarajan et al., 2026

Type species

antiqua (Latin, old/ancient), for the taxon's early stratigraphic age and the advanced ontogenetic stage of the holotype.

Holotype
IITBR3, IITBR4, IITBR5, IITBR6, IITBR7, IITBR8, IITBR9, IITBR10, IITBR11, IITBR12, IITBR13, IITBR14, IITBR15, IITBR16, IITBR17, IITBR18, IITBR19, IITBR20, IITBR21, IITBR22, IITBR23, IITBR24, IITBR25, IITBR26, IITBR27, IITBR28, IITBR29, IITBR30, IITBR31, IITBR32, IITBR33, IITBR34, IITBR35, IITBR36, IITBR37, IITBR38, IITBR39, IITBR40, IITBR41, IITBR42, IITBR43, IITBR44, IITBR45, IITBR46, IITBR47, IITBR48, IITBR49, IITBR50, IITBR51, IITBR52, IITBR53, IITBR54, IITBR55, IITBR56, IITBR57, IITBR58, IITBR59 , Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Material
Partial skeleton: cervical vertebra, caudal vertebrae/arches, rib fragments, anterior chevron, interclavicle, partial ulna, metacarpals II-IV, partial femur, tibiae, fibulae, metatarsal III fragment.
Horizon
Kaladongar Formation, Toarcian–Bajocian, Early Jurassic–Middle Jurassic , 184.2–168.2 million years ago
Locality
Amrapar, Gujarat, India

References

  1. Natarajan, A.; Bhosale, S.; Rakshit, N.; Dasgupta, S. (2026). A new diminutive Jurassic neosauropod from the Kaladongar Formation (Khadir Uplift) of the Kachchh Basin, western India. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology e2677749. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/02724634.2026.2677749 natarajan2026a