| Lavocatisaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fossil bones and skeletal diagram showing known elements | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Superfamily: | †Diplodocoidea |
| Family: | †Rebbachisauridae |
| Genus: | †Lavocatisaurus Canudoet al.2018 |
| Type species | |
| †Lavocatisaurus agrioensis Canudoet al. 2018 | |
Lavocatisaurus (meaning "René Lavocat's lizard") is a genus ofsauropod in the familyRebbachisauridae from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian toAlbian)Rayoso Formation of theNeuquén Basin, northernPatagonia,Argentina.[1]
In 2009, a group of Spanish–Argentinean palaeontologists attempted to locate the site from which theholotype of the rebbachisauridRayososaurus agrioensis was discovered. While investigating strata belonging to the Pichi NeuquénMember of theRayoso Formation, the remains of a different rebbachisaurid taxon, consisting of two juveniles and an adult, were uncovered. The specimens were excavated over the next two years, and once completed, the material was divided between theMuseo Provincial de Ciencias Naturales and theMuseo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio for preparation. In 2018, the new taxon,Lavocatisaurus agrioensis, was described, with the adult (MOZ-Pv1232) designated as theholotype. The generic name refers to the French palaeontologistRené Lavocat, while the specific name refers to Agrio del Medio, the locality from which the specimens were recovered.[1]
Lavocatisaurus was a medium-sized sauropod, and one of the only known dinosaurs from theRayoso Formation. It is known from almost all of its anatomical elements, and it is known from a few specimens including juveniles and an adult. The adult specimen is currently under preparation, and thus the described fossils come from a number of juvenile individuals. The skull was elongate and similar in shape to that ofDiplodocus. The skull is well preserved for the most part, and it provides further evidence that some sauropods may have had a beak-likekeratinous sheath covering the anterior of the snout.[1]
In their phylogenetic analysis Canudoet al. (2018) foundLavocatisaurus to be a basal rebbachisaurid. They resolved it in a derived position relative to other basal rebbachisaurids, as the sister group to theKhebbashia, the clade formed byRebbachisaurinae andLimaysaurinae.[1]
