Macrogryphosaurus
From Greek 'makros' meaning 'large', 'gryphos' meaning 'enigmatic', and 'sauros' meaning 'lizard', hence 'big enigmatic lizard'. The species name 'gondwanicus' refers to the ancient continent of Gondwana.
Late Cretaceous stages
Macrogryphosaurus is a genus of elasmarian dinosaur from the Coniacian age Upper Cretaceous Sierra Barrosa Formation (Neuquén Group) of Argentina in Patagonia. It was described by Jorge Calvo and colleagues in 2007, with M. gondwanicus as the type and only species.
Diagnosis
- Triradiate sternum with anterior border tribranched, two laterally placed and outwardly directed branches, one centrally placed smaller forwardly directed branch
- Sternal ribs flattened, twisted and distally expanded
- Last dorsal vertebra with well-developed hyposphene
- Thin plate-like ossifications located in front of sternum
- Ten cervical vertebrae total
- Fourteen dorsal vertebrae total
- Epipophyses on 3rd cervical placed over distal end of postzygapophyses and posteriorly projected
- Less developed pubic peduncle of ilium compared to Talenkauen
- More acute angle between anterior ilium process and pubic peduncle
Species
Macrogryphosaurus gondwanicus Calvo et al., 2007
Type species
Named for Gondwana, the ancient southern supercontinent, reflecting the South American provenance of this ornithopod.
- Holotype
- MUCPv-321 , Universidad Nacional del Comahue
- Material
- 8 post-axial cervicals, 14 dorsals, 6 sacrals, 16 caudals, cervical and dorsal ribs, both ilia, pubes, ischia, one sternum, 4 thoracic plates.
- Horizon
- Sierra Barrosa Formation, Coniacian, Late Cretaceous , 89.8–85.7 million years ago
- Locality
- West coast of the Mari Menuco lake, Neuquén, Argentina
References
- Calvo, J. O.; Porfiri, J. D.; Novas, F. E. (2007). Discovery of a new ornithopod dinosaur from the Portezuelo Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina. Arquivos do Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro 65(4): 471-483. doi:10.5281/zenodo.13461915 calvo2007c