| Adamantisaurus | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Adamantisaurus holotype | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Clade: | †Lithostrotia |
| Genus: | †Adamantisaurus Santucci &Bertini, 2006 |
| Species: | †A. mezzalirai |
| Binomial name | |
| †Adamantisaurus mezzalirai Santucci & Bertini, 2006 | |
Adamantisaurus (/ˌædəˌmæntɪˈsɔːrəs/AD-ə-MAN-tiss-OR-əs) is a poorly-knowngenus oftitanosauriansauropoddinosaur from theLate CretaceousPeriod of what is now South America. It is only known from six tailvertebrae but, as a sauropod, it can be assumed that this dinosaur was a very large animal with a long neck and tail.
Like many titanosaurians,Adamantisaurus is incompletely known, making its exact relationships difficult to establish. However, similarities have been noted withAeolosaurus and the Bauru Group titanosaurian formerly known as the "Peiropolis titanosaur", now calledTrigonosaurus.
AsAdamantisaurus mezzalirai is only known from the anterior portion of the tail, relatively little is known about the anatomy of this species. It was probably a medium-sized titanosaur. In 2010Gregory S. Paul estimated it to be roughly 13 meters (43 ft) long and 5 tonnes (5.5 short tons) in weight .[1] However, in 2020 Molina-Pérez and Larramendi gave a larger estimation of 18 meters (60 ft) and 14.4 tonnes (15.8 short tons).[2]
Although this animal's remains were first mentioned in print in 1959, it was not named until the description written byBrazilianpaleontologistsRodrigo Santucci andReinaldo Bertini in 2006. It was the first dinosaur named in that year. The type specimen, the only material known of the genus, consists of the second through seventh caudal vertebrae and two chevrons.[3]
Adamantisaurus is currently known only from theAdamantina Formation of Brazil. The Adamantina Formation is part of theBauru Group ofgeologic formations. Thestratigraphy and exact age of the Bauru Group is still unsettled, but the Adamantina probably occurs somewhere between theTuronian through earlyMaastrichtian stages of theLate Cretaceous Period (93 to 70 million years ago).Adamantisaurus shares the Adamantina with fellow titanosaurian,Gondwanatitan.
Adamantisaurus is named after theAdamantina Formation in the Brazilian state ofSão Paulo, where thefossil was found and also incorporates theGreek wordsauros meaning 'lizard', the most common suffix used in dinosaur names.[3] The type and only species,Adamantisaurus mezzalirai is named in honor ofSérgio Mezzalira, the Braziliangeologist who originally found the specimen and first mentioned it in print.
The phylogenetic relationship ofAdamantisaurus has yet to be rigorously tested. However, it appears to be more derived thanMalawisaurus based on the ball-and-socket articulation of the caudal vertebrae.[3] All titanosaurs at least as derived asMalawisaurus are members of the cladeLithostrotia.[4] Within that clade, however, its relationships are unclear.Adamantisaurus resemblesAeolosaurus, a close relative of its contemporaryGondwanatitan, in some respects.Adamantisaurus cannot be directly compared toBrasilotitan, another genus found in the Adamantina Formation.[5]
