Domeykosaurus
Encyclopedia
"Domeykosaurus" is the informal name given to an undescribed genus
of dinosaur
from the Late Cretaceous
. It was a sauropod, more specifically a titanosaur
. Its fossils were found in Chile
by paleontologists David Rubilar and Alexander Vargas in 2003. At 40 percent complete, the "Domeykosaurus" fossil is the most complete example of any dinosaur found in Chile.
"Domeykosaurus" was 25 feet long and 6.5 feet wide, with the long neck and tail typical of titanosaurs. It was uncharacteristically gracile, with more slender limbs than are usually associated with its type. Paleontologists speculate that the herbivore
most likely ate such plants as the araucaria
, also known as the "Monkey Puzzle Tree", which is native to the area.
The intended type species is "Domeykosaurus chilensis".
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 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
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...
. It was a sauropod, more specifically 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...
. Its fossils were found in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
by paleontologists David Rubilar and Alexander Vargas in 2003. At 40 percent complete, the "Domeykosaurus" fossil is the most complete example of any dinosaur found in Chile.
"Domeykosaurus" was 25 feet long and 6.5 feet wide, with the long neck and tail typical of titanosaurs. It was uncharacteristically gracile, with more slender limbs than are usually associated with its type. Paleontologists speculate that the 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...
most likely ate such plants as the araucaria
Araucaria
Araucaria is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 19 extant species in the genus, with a highly disjunct distribution in New Caledonia , Norfolk Island, eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and southern Brazil.-Description:Araucaria are mainly...
, also known as the "Monkey Puzzle Tree", which is native to the area.
The intended type species is "Domeykosaurus chilensis".