| Hamititan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Skeletal diagram showing known material | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Genus: | †Hamititan Wang et al., 2021 |
| Type species | |
| †Hamititan xinjiangensis Wang et al., 2021 | |
Hamititan (meaning "Hami giant") is a genus oftitanosaur sauropod dinosaur from theShengjinkou Formation ofXinjiang, China. It contains one species, the type species,Hamititan xinjiangensis.
In 2006, aKonservat-Lagerstätte was reported from theShengjinkou Formation in theHami region ofXinjiang, China. This consisted of lake sediments allowing for exceptional preservation of fossils. The same year,Qiu Zhanxiang andWang Banyue started official excavations.[2]
Among the excavated fossils were seven caudal vertebrae with three chevrons preserved. These were established as theholotype (HM V22) of the new sauropod taxon,Hamititan. Four sacral elements, specimen IVPP V27875, were not referred. Atheropod tooth was found near the sixth caudal vertebra of the holotype. It is likely that this theropod preyed on the holotype shortly after it died. The generic name refers to the city of Hami, where the holotype was found, while the specific name,xinjiangensis, refers to the Chinese province,Xinjiang.[2]
The phylogenetic analysis of Wang et al. placesHamititan as a derived non-lithostrotian titanosaur in a polytomy withEpachthosaurus,Kaijutitan,Notocolossus,rinconsaurs,lognkosaurs, andlithostrotians. If it is scored with the contemporarySilutitan as a single taxon, the combined taxon will be sister toEuhelopus. A cladogram depicting the former hypothesis is shown below:[2]
Other animals from the holotype locality include the pterosaurHamipterus and contemporary euhelopodidSilutitan, which is described in the same paper. Together,Hamititan, the aforementioned fauna and an unnamed theropod represent the known vertebrate taxa of the area.[2]
