Balochisaurus
Encyclopedia
Balochisaurus is a genus
of titanosaur
ian sauropod dinosaur
from the Late Cretaceous
of Pakistan
. The type species
is B. malkani. The discovery was made (along with other dinosaur specimens) near Vitariki by a team of paleontologists from the Geological Survey of Pakistan. Formally described in 2006 by M.S. Malkani, the genus is based on
seven tail vertebrae found in the Maastrichtian
-age Vitakri Member of the Pab Formation
, with additional vertebrae and a partial skull assigned to it. The author erected the family-level name Balochisauridae for Balochisaurus, but it remains to be seen if this family will receive widespread acceptance.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of titanosaur
Titanosaur
Titanosaurs were a diverse group of sauropod dinosaurs, which included Saltasaurus and Isisaurus. It includes some of the heaviest creatures ever to walk the earth, such as Argentinosaurus and Paralititan — which some believe have weighed up to 100 tonnes...
ian sauropod dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from the Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous period is divided in the geologic timescale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous series...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is B. malkani. The discovery was made (along with other dinosaur specimens) near Vitariki by a team of paleontologists from the Geological Survey of Pakistan. Formally described in 2006 by M.S. Malkani, the genus is based on
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
seven tail vertebrae found in the Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
-age Vitakri Member of the Pab Formation
Pab Formation
The Pab Formation is a Mesozoic geologic formation in Balochistan, in western Pakistan. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.-Paleofauna:* Vitakridrinda* Pakisaurus* Balochisaurus* Brohisaurus...
, with additional vertebrae and a partial skull assigned to it. The author erected the family-level name Balochisauridae for Balochisaurus, but it remains to be seen if this family will receive widespread acceptance.
External links
- Dinosaur Mailing List post on Balochisaurus and other new taxaTaxon|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
from Pakistan. - Balochisaurus on DinoData.org