Baurutitan
Encyclopedia
Baurutitan was a genus
of sauropod dinosaur
that appeared in the Late Cretaceous
Period. This plant eater (herbivore
) grew up to 79 feet long. It was a titanosaur
which lived in what is now present-day Brazil
.
The type species
, Baurutitan britoi, was described in 2005 by Kellner, Campos, and Trotta and is based on distinctive caudal vertebrae. This South American dinosaur was found in Uberaba, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
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 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...
that appeared in the Late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
Period. This plant eater (herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
) grew up to 79 feet long. It was a 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...
which lived in what is now present-day Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
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...
, Baurutitan britoi, was described in 2005 by Kellner, Campos, and Trotta and is based on distinctive caudal vertebrae. This South American dinosaur was found in Uberaba, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.