| Tataouinea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reconstructed skeleton (with unknown elements based onNigersaurus), with known elements in pink | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Superfamily: | †Diplodocoidea |
| Family: | †Rebbachisauridae |
| Genus: | †Tataouinea Fantiet al., 2013 |
| Species: | †T. hannibalis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Tataouinea hannibalis Fantiet al., 2013 | |
Tataouinea is an extinct genus ofsauropoddinosaur in the subfamilyRebbachisaurinae ofRebbachisauridae which lived in theEarly Cretaceous ofTunisia. Only one species,T. hannibalis, is known.[2]
The first known elements of theholotype were discovered in theAïn el Guettar Formation in 2011 by Aldo Luigi Bacchetta, but he was unable to excavate the specimen until 2012. The remains were subsequently studied by Federico Fanti, Andrea Cau, Mohsen Hassine and Michela Contessi. The genus was named in 2013. The name refers to the Tataouine Governatorate, Tunisia, andHannibal.[2] In 2015 more material of the holotype specimen was uncovered after the initial description were analysed.[3] These included additional tail vertebrae.
Its bones were extensively pneumatic, providing strong support for the theory that sauropods hadbirdlike respiratory systems. Key characteristics of its vertebral morphology show thatTatouinea was arebbachisaurid, closely related to thenigersaurines ofEurope.[2] A phylogenetic analysis was published alongside the paper, finding a clade of nigersaurines to includeRebbachisaurus, thus forcing the subfamily to be renamed Rebbachisaurinae.[3]
The exact size ofTataouinea is unknown, but comparison to similar sauropods indicates a size of about 14 metres (46 ft) meters long and a height of around 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) at the hips for the holotype individual.[2]
The genus name bears the name of the region where it was discovered,Tataouine, and the epithet honoursHannibal, aCarthaginianPunic military commander.
Tataouinea was placed in theRebbachisaurinae by Fantiet al. (2015). The 2015 cladogram of Fantiet al. is shown below.[3]
Tataouinea was discovered in theJebel El Mra Member or the nearbyOum ed Diab Member of theAptian-AlbianAïn el Guettar Formation. It coexisted with an unnamedcarcharodontosaurid,Carcharodontosaurus,Spinosaurus, thenotosuchianAraripesuchus, an unnamedsauropod, an unnamediguanodont, an unnamedornithocheiridpterosaur, an unnamed species ofSarcosuchus and a species offish known asMawsonia.[2][4]
