| Tehuelchesaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reconstructed skeleton on display at theMEF in Trelew, Argentina | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Family: | †Camarasauridae |
| Genus: | †Tehuelchesaurus Richet al. 1999 |
| Species: | †T. benitezii |
| Binomial name | |
| †Tehuelchesaurus benitezii Richet al. 1999 | |
Tehuelchesaurus (/teɪhwɛltʃeɪsɔːrəs/) is agenus ofmacronariansauropoddinosaur from theLate Jurassic (Oxfordian toTithonian) ofArgentina. It is named in honor of theTehuelche people, native to theArgentinian province ofChubut, where it was first found.[1]
It was a moderately large (possibly 15 metres (49 ft) long) cetiosaur-likesauropod found in theLate Jurassic (Tithonian)Cañadon Calcareo Formation at Fernandez Estancia, Chubut Province,Patagonia,Argentina; known from theholotypeMPEF-PV 1125 (Museo Paleontologico Egidio Fergulio), a 50% complete skeleton, lacking a skull, but includingdorsal,sacral and caudal vertebrae, parts of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, parts of theshoulder girdle andpelvis, some rib fragments, and skin impressions.[1]
Tehuelchesaurus is most similar toOmeisaurus from the Middle Jurassic ofChina, but is distinguished by the shape of thecoracoid, the stouterradius andulna, and the shapes of thepubis andischium; all the dorsal vertebrae have pseudopleurocoels (deep depressions in thecentra but without internal chambers) andopisthocoelous centra, unlike inBarapasaurus andPatagosaurus. The length of the entire neck and tail are not known, but based on other proportions (humerus 1.14 metres (3.7 ft) long; femur 1.53 metres (5.0 ft) long;scapula 1.75 metres (5.7 ft) long; ischium 1.01 metres (3.3 ft) long;ilium 1.12 metres (3.7 ft); pubis 94.3 centimetres (37.1 in) long),Tehuelchesaurus was probably about 15 metres (49 ft) long. It was named by Rich, Vickers-Rich, Gimenez, Cuneo, Puerta & Vacca in 1999.[1] Thetype species isTehuelchesaurus benitezii (/beɪnitɛziaɪ/), named after Aldo Benitez, who discovered the holotype.[1]
