Elaltitan
From Elal (the god of the Tehuelche people of Chubut Province, Argentina) + Greek titan (giant): referencing local indigenous mythology and the animal's great size.
Late Cretaceous stages
Elaltitan is an extinct genus of large lithostrotian titanosaur sauropod dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous of Chubut Province, southern Argentina. It contains a single species, Elaltitan lilloi.
Diagnosis
- Spinopostzygapophyseal laminae in middle-posterior dorsal vertebrae bifurcate into medial and lateral branches (plesiomorphic in most eusauropods but reverted as a local autapomorphy in titanosaurs).
- Dorsoventrally tall neural arch restricted to anterior half of centrum (excluding condylar ball) in anterior-most caudal vertebrae (autapomorphy).
- Astragalar ascending process does not extend to the posterior margin of the astragalus.
- Presence of an ossified calcaneum (first titanosaur skeleton to preserve an associated calcaneum).
Species
Elaltitan lilloi Mannion & Otero, 2012
Type species
Named for Miguel Lillo, in recognition of a contribution and legacy to natural sciences in Tucumán, Argentina.
- Holotype
- PVL 4628 , Colección de Paleontologia de Vertebrados de la Fundación Instituto Miguel Lillo
- Material
- Associated partial skeleton: three dorsal and two caudal vertebrae, left scapula, left humerus, left radius, both ulnae, right pubis, proximal right femur, distal left tibia, left fibula, right astragalus, and calcaneum
- Horizon
- Lago Colhué Huapi Formation, Coniacian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 89.8–66.0 million years ago
- Locality
- Río Senguerr bend, Chubut, Argentina
References
- Mannion, P. D.; Otero, A. (2012). A reappraisal of the Late Cretaceous Argentinean sauropod dinosaur Argyrosaurus superbus, with a description of a new titanosaur genus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 32(3): 614-638. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/02724634.2012.660898 mannion2012a
-
Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.
Source of the hip height estimate.
jones2026b -
Casal, G. A.; Allard, J. O.; Foix, N. (2015). Análisis estratigráfico y paleontológico de afloramientos del Cretácico Superior en la cuenca del Golfo San Jorge: propuesta de nueva unidad litoestratigráfica para el Grupo Chubut. Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina 72(1): 81-99.
Erects the Lago Colhué Huapi Formation and places this holotype at Codo del Río Senguerr, the formation's parastratotype locality.
casal2015a