| Baurutitan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Caudal vertebra (D) and chevrons (F) from the holotype | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Clade: | †Lithostrotia |
| Genus: | †Baurutitan Kellneret al. 2005 |
| Type species | |
| Baurutitan britoi Kellneret al. 2005 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Baurutitan is agenus ofsauropoddinosaur that lived during theLate Cretaceous in what is nowBrazil. Thetype species,Baurutitan britoi, was described in 2005 byKellner and colleagues, although the fossil remains had already been discovered in 1957.Baurutitan is classified as alithostrotiantitanosaur, and is distinguished from related genera based on its distinctive caudalvertebrae. This South American dinosaur was found in theSerra da Galga Formation nearUberaba, in the Brazilian state ofMinas Gerais.[1]
The holotype ofBaurutitan were found in 1957 byLlewellyn Ivor Price, the famous Brazilian paleontologist, in the region of Peirópolis,Minas Gerais. However, it was not until 2005 thatBaurutitan was officially published and named. The works of Price in Peirópolis began in 1947 after Jesuíno Felicíssimo Junior, from the Instituto Geográfico e Geológico of São Paulo, told him about the presence of fossils in the region. Price then conducted excavations in an old quarry, known as Quarry Caieira, on the in São Luis farm. Recovered fossils included those ofturtles,crocodylomorphs,theropods andsauropods,fish, freshwater invertebrates (gastropods andbivalves),trace fossils, fragments ofeggs, and plant debris. Dynamite was occasionally used to remove materials embedded in the matrix. There were expeditions to Caieira between 1949 and 1961, after which fieldwork was not continued due to a lack of new relevant findings.[1]
A series of 19 vertebrae (the last sacral and 18 caudals) found at this locality were recognized as belong to those of a titanosaur; they were initially named 'Series "C"', and subsequently became the holotype of the new genusBaurutitan (specimen number MCT 1490-R). All material found was stored in the collection of Museu de Ciência da Terra (Earth Science Museum – MCT) of the Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral (National Department of Mineral Production) inRio de Janeiro.[1]
In addition to Caieira Quarry, Price also worked in the "Point 6" or "Rodovia" site, also from theSerra da Galga Formation, about 1.5 km east of Peirópolis. Field work during the 1980s and 1990s discovered many titanosaur remains, including vertebrae and limb bones. A preliminary report found the cervical and dorsal vertebrae from the site similar toTrigonosaurus, while the caudal vertebrae were similar toBaurutitan.[2] In 2022, the remains were described, and were found to share characteristics with bothBaurutitan andTrigonosaurus. This led the describing authors to synonymize the two taxa, while separating the unique paratype ofTrigonosaurus as the new genusCaieiria.[3] However, not all researchers have accepted the conclusion thatTrigonosaurus is a synonym ofBaurutitan; John Fronimos, in 2023, did not follow the proposed synonymy due to the differencess between the first caudal vertebrae of the two taxa.[4]
The nameBaurutitan comes from the junction of the word "bauru", which alludes to the geographical region of the finding, within theBauru Group, and the word "titan" of Greek myths. The specific name "britoi" is given in honor of Ignácio Aureliano Machado Brito, aBrazilianpaleontologist who advised the study and description of this dinosaur, whose fossils have remained stored for many years.[1]
Baurutitan was asauropod which was estimated to have measured 12–14 metres (39–46 ft) long and had a height of around 3.5 metres (11 ft). The holotype specimen was found in theSerra da Galga Formation, dating to theMaastrichtian epoch, some 72-66 million years ago.Baurutitan was the fourth sauropod described inBrazil, afterAntarctosaurus,Gondwanatitan andAmazonsaurus.[1]
In their 2017 description ofPatagotitan, José Carballido and colleagues placedBaurutitan as a member ofLithostrotia in theirphylogenetic analyses.[5]
In the 2023 description of titanosaur remains from the Serra da Galga Formation including the new taxonCaieiria, Silva Junioret al. performed a phylogenetic analysis of titanosaurs includingBaurutitan (which incorporated information fromTrigonosaurus). It was found to be in a clade withinAeolosaurini, which is recovered withinRinconsauria. Their cladogram is shown below:[3]
