| Mendozasaurus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Genus: | †Mendozasaurus González Riga 2003 |
| Species: | †M. neguyelap |
| Binomial name | |
| †Mendozasaurus neguyelap González Riga 2003 | |
Mendozasaurus is agenus oftitanosauriansauropoddinosaur. It was a member ofTitanosauria, which were massive sauropods that were common on the southern landmasses during theCretaceous. It is represented by several partial skeletons from a single locality within theConiacian (lower Upper Cretaceous)Sierra Barrosa Formation in the south of Mendoza Province, northernNeuquén Basin, Argentina.Thetype species,Mendozasaurus neguyelap, was described by Argentine paleontologistBernardo Javier González Riga in 2003.Mendozasaurus is the first dinosaur named fromMendoza Province,Argentina, for which it was named.
This species belonged to the discoveredcladeLognkosauria,[1] a transitional group of titanosaurs which included the giganticFutalognkosaurus andPuertasaurus. Like both of these animals,Mendozasaurus had a long neck with very wide cervical neural spines. Holtz estimated its length at 22 m (72 ft).[2] In 2010Gregory S. Paul estimatedMendozasaurus at 20 meters (65.6 feet) in length and 16 tonnes (17.6 short tons) in weight.[3]
A phylogenetic analysis conducted by González Riga and colleagues in 2018 recoveredMendozasaurus as the most basal member of Lognkosauria, includingFutalognkosaurus and the gigantic titanosaursArgentinosaurus,Notocolossus,Patagotitan andPuertasaurus.[4]
The followingcladograms show the position ofMendozasaurus inLognkosauria.
| According to González Rigaet al., 2018:[4] | According to Navarroet al., 2022:[5]
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