| Titanomachya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| In situ holotype ofT. gimenezi | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Genus: | †Titanomachya Pérez-Moreno et al.,2024 |
| Species: | †T. gimenezi |
| Binomial name | |
| †Titanomachya gimenezi Pérez-Moreno et al., 2024 | |
Titanomachya (named after theTitanomachy of Greek mythology) is anextinct genus oftitanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from theLate CretaceousLa Colonia Formation of Argentina. The genus contains asingle species,Titanomachya gimenezi. It is a relatively small titanosaur, weighing around 7.8 tonnes (8.6 short tons).
TheTitanomachyaholotype specimen,MPEF Pv 11547, was discovered in sediments of theLa Colonia Formation near theCerro Bayo mountain andBajada del Diablo crater inChubut Province ofPatagonia, Argentina. The specimen consists of an incomplete, partiallyarticulated skeleton, including acaudal vertebra, several fragmentary ribs, twohaemal arches, the lefthumerus, fragments of thepelvic girdle, part of bothfemora, bothtibiae andfibulae, and parts of bothastragali.[1]
In 2024, Pérez-Moreno et al.describedTitanomachya gimenezi as a new genus and species of titanosaurian sauropod based on these fossil remains. Two partial caudal vertebrae belonging to saltasauroid titanosaurs are also known from the formation, but were not referred toTitanomachya. Thegeneric name,Titanomachya, alludes to themythological GreekTitanomachy—the battle where theOlympian gods fought and defeated theTitans—referring to the species' proximity to the extinction of the titanosaurs. Thespecific name,gimenezi, honors Olga Giménez and her paleontological contributions to the study of Argentinian dinosaurs fromChubut Province.[1]
Titanomachya represents the first saltasauroid titanosaur to be discovered in Central Patagonian sediments dated to the end of the Cretaceous. The only other saltasauroid from theNorth Patagonian Massif is the similarly agedDreadnoughtus from Argentina'sCerro Fortaleza Formation.[1]
Titanomachya is a small titanosaur, with an estimated length of 6 metres (20 ft).[2] It probably weighed between 5.8 and 9.8 tonnes (6.4 and 10.8 short tons), with a mean body mass of 7.8 tonnes (8.6 short tons). The holotype specimen was an adult similar in size to some relatedsaltasaurids (Neuquensaurus andSaltasaurus), but it may have weighed more, as indicated by anastragalus modified for improved weight-bearing. The morphology of the astragalus is intermediate betweencolossosaurs andsaltasauroids.[1]
Pérez-Moreno et al. (2024) enteredTitanomachya into aphylogenetic analysis and found it to be in the cladeLithostrotia, itself recovered as a subclade of theSaltasauroidea. This result is similar to that recovered in the 2023 description ofBustingorrytitan.[3] The results of Pérez-Moreno et al. are shown in thecladogram below:[1]
Titanomachya was found in outcrops of theLa Colonia Formation, which dates to theMaastrichtian (Cretaceous)–Paleocene (Paleogene) boundary.[4] This formation is best known for fossils of theabelisaurid theropodsCarnotaurus andKoleken,[5] as well as fossils of other reptiles including the turtlePatagoniaemys, the snakeAlamitophis and theplesiosaursKawanectes,Chubutinectes andSulcusuchus.[6][7][8][9] Mammals discovered from the formation includeReigitherium,Coloniatherium,Argentodites andFerugliotherium.[10][11] Remains of anenantiornithine and, possibly, of aneornithine bird have been discovered.[12][13] WhileTitanomachya represents the first herbivorous dinosaur named from this locality, remains of indeterminatehadrosaurs andankylosaurs have also been found. The small adult size ofTitanomachya compared to giant titanosaurs may have been a result of competition with an increased diversity of these other herbivores.[1][2]
