| Shingopana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Clade: | †Lithostrotia |
| Clade: | †Aeolosaurini |
| Genus: | †Shingopana Gorscaket al.2017 |
| Type species | |
| †Shingopana songwensis Gorscaket al. 2017 | |
Shingopana (meaning "wide neck" inSwahili) is agenus oftitanosauriansauropod from theUpper Cretaceous (lateCampanian-earlyMaastrichtian[2] age)Galula Formation ofTanzania. It is known from only thetype species,S. songwensis.[3] Gorscak & O'Connor's phylogenetic testing suggestShingopana is more closely related to the South American titanosaur family ofAeolosaurini than any of the titanosaurs found so far in North & South Africa.[3]
Part of theholotype, TZ-07, was discovered in 2002 by scientists affiliated with the Rukwa Rift Basin Project, which was run by Patrick O'Connor and Nancy Stevens.[4] The rest of the skeleton was excavated during the following years. The speciesShingopana songwensis was officially named in 2017.[3]
Shingopanawas a quadrupedalAeolosaurin sauropod that would have reached up to 8 metres (26 ft) long when fully grown, smaller than the average sauropod.[3]
The holotype was damaged by insect bore holes shortly after the animal died.[3]
Shingopana is known from a partial jaw, represented by the angular bone.Shingopana is also known from four cervical vertebrae; with two of these vertebrae having preserved cervical ribs and another isolated cervical rib.Shingopana instead had remnants of a bulbous expansion on the incompletely preserved cervical vertebrae, which probably helped to strengthen its neck.[3]
Four ribs have been preserved with the holotype, but none are complete. The ribs had flanged edges, but their function is currently unknown.[3]
An almost complete humerus and a partial pubis were also present in the holotype.
The holotype was discovered in theUpper CretaceousGalula Formation of theRukwa Rift Basin in Tanzania. It would have coexisted with the sauropodsRukwatitan[5] andMnyamawamtuka,[6]themesoeucrocodilesPakasuchus[7] andRukwasuchus,[8] the mammalGalulatherium,[5] an unnamednotosuchian, an unnamedturtle, an unnamedtheropod[5] and two types oflungfish (Lupaceradotus and an unnamed genus).
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