Open Paleo

Vahiny

Curry Rogers & Wilson, 2014 va-heenh

From Malagasy meaning 'traveler'

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

Vahiny is an extinct genus of titanosaur sauropod dinosaur known from the Late Cretaceous of the Maevarano Formation, northwestern Madagascar. It contains a single species, Vahiny depereti.

Diagnosis

  1. Basal tubera composed mainly of basioccipital with reduced basisphenoid contribution
  2. Thick web of bone separating basipterygoid embayment from basal tubera, visible posteriorly
  3. Paired blind fossae between basipterygoid processes and parasphenoid rostrum
  4. Ventrally keeled and dorsally troughed parasphenoid rostrum
  5. Foramina for cranial nerves V, III, and II are co-linear; metotic foramen displaced ventrally from them

Species

Vahiny depereti Curry Rogers & Wilson, 2014

Type species

Named in honor of Charles Depéret, who described the original dinosaur material from Madagascar and presciently recognized the sauropod nature of the Malagasy osteoderms.

Holotype
UA 9940 , Universite d’Antananarivo
Material
Partial braincase including partial supraoccipital, basioccipital, basisphenoid, exoccipital-opisthotics, prootics, laterosphenoids, and orbitosphenoids.
Horizon
Anembalemba Member, Maevarano Formation, Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous , 72.2–66.0 million years ago
Locality
MAD 96-07, Mahajanga, Madagascar

References

  1. Curry Rogers, K.; Wilson, J. A. (2014). Vahiny depereti, gen. et sp. nov., a new titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous Maevarano Formation, Madagascar. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34(3): 606-617. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.822874 curryrogers2014a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length estimate.

    jones2026b