Open Paleo

Uriash

Díez Díaz et al., 2025 yoo-ree-ash

From Romanian 'uriaș' meaning 'giant', referencing the giant figure in Romanian folklore, reflecting the animal's notably large size compared to other local sauropod remains

72.2–66.0 million years ago Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Uriash is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Romania. The holotype of this genus was originally referred to Magyarosaurus hungaricus, which is now classified in a separate genus, Petrustitan.

Diagnosis

  1. Posterior caudal vertebrae with markedly procoelous centrum and distinctive hour-glass shaped contour in ventral view
  2. Posterior caudal vertebrae with anteroposteriorly elongated neural arch pedicels
  3. Midline longitudinal convexity along posterior humeral shaft curving distally towards medial edge
  4. Proximal half of humerus with anteromedial arm
  5. Large and proximodistally elongated oval foramen in posterolateral depression of proximal humerus
  6. Hypertrophied bulge for insertion site of M. latissimus dorsi
  7. Femoral shaft transversely expands distally at point close to its midlength
  8. Hypertrophied femoral fourth trochanter

Species

Uriash kadici Díez Díaz et al., 2025

Type species

Named for Hungarian geologist Ottokár Kadić (1876-1957), who discovered the fossil material in 1914.

Holotype
SZTFH Ob.3090B, SZTFH Ob.3090D, SZTFH Ob.3090G, SZTFH Ob.3090H, SZTFH Ob.3104, SZTFH Ob.3103, SZTFH Ob.3095 , Hungarian Geological Survey
Material
Four posterior-distal caudal vertebrae, an incomplete right humerus, an incomplete right femur with a fragment of the left, and a left metatarsal I.
Notes
Eight vertebrae were collected from the caudal series and four are now missing; the four that remain preserve only the centra and the bases of the neural arches.
Horizon
middle Densuș-Ciula Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 72.2–66.0 million years ago
Locality
Locality VI of Kadić, Hunedoara, Romania

References

  1. Díez Díaz, V.; Mannion, P. D.; Csiki-Sava, Z.; Upchurch, P. (2025). Revision of Romanian sauropod dinosaurs reveals high titanosaur diversity and body-size disparity on the latest Cretaceous Haţeg Island, with implications for titanosaurian biogeography. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 23(1). Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1080/14772019.2024.2441516 díezdíaz2025a