Malarguesaurus


Malarguesaurus is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Mendoza Province, Argentina. Its fossils, consisting of tail vertebrae, chevrons, ribs, and limb bones, were found in the early to middle Coniacian-aged Los Bastos Formation of the Neuquén Group. The type species, described by González Riga et al. in 2008, is M. florenciae.

Description

Described as a robust sauropod, it was initially described as being closely related to Ligabuesaurus and Phuwiangosaurus, and Mannion et al. more precisely recovered it as a member of Somphospondyli. The cladistic analysis of Patagotitan recovered Malarguesaurus as a close relative of the Asian Ruyangosaurus.
Like other sauropods, Malarguesaurus would have been a large quadrupedal herbivore. Malarguesaurus is the second sauropod dinosaur discovered in Mendoza Province; the first is Mendozasaurus neguyelap.