Maxakalisaurus
Named after the Maxakali people, an indigenous ethnic group of Minas Gerais, Brazil, combined with Greek 'sauros' (lizard); meaning 'Maxakali lizard'
Late Cretaceous stages
Maxakalisaurus is a genus of titanosaur dinosaur, found in the Adamantina Formation of Brazil, in the state of Minas Gerais in 1998. The genus name is derived from the tribe of the Maxakali; Topa is one of their divinities.
Diagnosis
- Anterior and middle caudal vertebrae with dorsoventrally compressed centra
- Midposterior caudal vertebrae with strongly concave lateral surface (spool-shaped)
- Metacarpal IV approximately 12% shorter than metacarpal II
- At least one biconvex caudal element
- Dorsal margin of neural spine in midposterior caudals inclined anteriorly
- Sacral centrum with keel-shaped ventral surface
Species
Maxakalisaurus topai Kellner et al., 2006
Type species
Named for Topa, a deity of the Maxakali people, the indigenous group of the region in Minas Gerais, Brazil, where the holotype was excavated.
- Holotype
- MN 5013-V , Museu Nacional
- Material
- Partial skeleton: incomplete right maxilla with teeth, 12 cervical vertebrae with ribs, 7 dorsal vertebrae with ribs, sacral neural spine and centrum, 6 caudal vertebrae, hemal arches, both scapulae, both sternal plates, left ischium distal portion, both humeri, metacarpals II and IV, fibula portion, osteoderm
- Horizon
- Adamantina Formation, Campanian–Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 83.6–66.0 million years ago
- Locality
- Serra da Boa Vista, Minas Gerais, Brazil
References
- Kellner, A. W. A.; Campos, D. de A.; de Azevedo, S. A. K.; Trotta, M. N. F.; Henriques, D. D. R.; Craik, M. M. T.; de Paula Silva, H. (2006). On a new titanosaur sauropod from the Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous of Brazil. Boletim do Museu Nacional, Nova Série, Geologia 74: 1-31. kellner2006a
-
Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.
Source of the hip height estimate.
jones2026b