INVESTIGADORES
APESTEGUIA Sebastian
artículos
Título:
Cranial anatomy and phylogenetic position of the titanosaurian sauropod Bonitasaura salgadoi
Autor/es:
PABLO A. GALLINA; APESTEGUIA, S.
Revista:
ACTA PALAEONTOLOGICA POLONICA
Editorial:
INST PALEOBIOLOGII PAN
Referencias:
Lugar: Varsovia; Año: 2011 p. 45 - 60
ISSN:
0567-7920
Resumen:
Knowledge of titanosaurian cranial anatomy has improved substantially in the last decade because several skulls have
come to light or were restudied. The discovery of Bonitasaura salgadoi, a partial titanosaurian skeleton including cranial
bones, permitted the definitive recognition of square jaws in a titanosaurian sauropod as well as a peculiar skull morphol−
ogy that increases the morphological diversity of the group. Here we present a full description and illustration of the skull
material of B. salgadoi. Among cranial bones, the lacrimal, quadrate, and dentary exhibit apomorphic differences from
those of other titanosaurians. Conversely, the frontal and parietal are more conservative.Aphylogenetic analysis recovers
B. salgadoi as a member of the Titanosauria, related to mid−sized to large titanosauroids from the TuronianCampanian
of South America, in contrast to a previous hypothesis that suggested a nemegtosaurid affinity. The skull reconstruction
presented here shows that the skull of B. salgadoi is anteroposteriorly short and dorsoventrally high, contrasting with the
elongate skull of Rapetosaurus krausei.