Phosphatotitan
From 'phosphate', referring to the Moroccan phosphate deposits that yielded the holotype, and Greek 'titan' meaning 'giant'.
Late Cretaceous stages
Phosphatotitan is an extinct genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian age) Ouled Abdoun Basin of Morocco. The genus contains a single species, Phosphatotitan khouribgaensis, known from a partial skeleton.
Diagnosis
- Neural spine of dorsal vertebra transversely broader than the centrum, with very large wing-like processes projecting perpendicularly from the neural spine
- Caudal neural spine spoon-like: transversely expanded and anteroposteriorly compressed, wider dorsally than basally, and curved forward anterior to the centrum
- Pubic boot with a strong, hooked lateral projection; pubic foramen strongly displaced ventrally
- Ischium distal end forming a narrow blade with camellate pneumaticity and numerous small pneumatopores
- Dorsal prezygapophyses extending subhorizontally in anterior view
- Posterior caudal neural arch surface with pneumatic fossa pierced by multiple pneumatic foramina
Species
Phosphatotitan khouribgaensis Longrich et al., 2026
Type species
Honors Khouribga Province, Morocco, where the holotype was discovered.
- Holotype
- MHNM.KHG.888 , Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Marrakech
- Material
- Associated dorsal vertebra, partial sacrum, anterior caudal vertebra, ilium fragments, left and right pubes, and ischium.
- Horizon
- lower Couche III Member, Phosphates of the Oulad Abdoun Basin Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 72.2–66.0 million years ago
- Locality
- Sidi Chennane, Khouribga, Morocco
References
- Longrich, N. R.; Pérez-Moreno, A.; Díez Díaz, V.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Bardet, N.; Jalil, N. E. (2026). A Titanosaurian Sauropod with South American Affinities (Lognkosauria: Argentinosauridae) from the Late Maastrichtian of Morocco and Evidence for Dinosaur Endemism in Africa. Diversity 18(5). MDPI AG. doi:10.3390/d18050241 longrich2026a