| Cathartesaura | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A posterior cervical vertebra from the holotype ofCathartesaura | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Superfamily: | †Diplodocoidea |
| Family: | †Rebbachisauridae |
| Genus: | †Cathartesaura Gallina & Apesteguía 2005 |
| Species: | †C. anaerobica |
| Binomial name | |
| †Cathartesaura anaerobica Gallina & Apesteguía 2005 | |
Cathartesaura is agenus ofrebbachisauridsauropoddinosaur fromLate Cretaceous strata of theHuincul Formation, at the "La Buitrera" locality, in theNeuquén Basin ofRío Negro Province, Argentina.[1] Thefossil remains, described by Gallina and Apesteguía in 2005, consist of a partial skeleton includingvertebrae and limb bones. These were found at the base of theformation, which dates back to theCenomanian andTuronianepochs, inmudstone andsandstone levels.
Thegeneric name is composed ofCathartes, theNew World vulturegenus and-saura, feminine declination of theGreek termsauros, "lizard". It also implies the juxtaposition of the components of thescientific name of theturkey vulture,Cathartes aura, whoseSpanish name, "buitre", named the locality where the fossil was found due to the abundance of suchbirds there. Thespecific epithet honors the Argentinianadhesive company Anaeróbicos for providing field and laboratory support during the extraction and preparation of the fossils.[1]
Cathartesaura is a medium-sizedherbivorous dinosaur with a long, lightly built, well-muscled neck albeit with a somewhat limited range of dorso-ventral movement.C. anaerobica has distinguishing characteristics in the vertebrae that ally it with Rebbachisauridae, such as the bony laminae association and the pneumatic chambers in the cervical series. Being found in early Late Cretaceous sediments, along with other rebbachisaurids, the only diplodocoid group of the time, this find helps cement the notion that a subsequentextinction event wiped out these remainingdiplodocoid dinosaurs leaving saltasaurinetitanosaurs to occupy the vacantecological niche.[1]
