INVESTIGADORES
PAULINA CARABAJAL ariana
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Paleoneurology of Antarctosaurus wichmannianus Huene 1929 (Sauropoda, Titanosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia using computed tomography.
Autor/es:
PAULINA CARABAJAL, A.
Lugar:
Buenos Aires
Reunión:
Jornada; XXVI Jornadas Argentinas de Paleontología de Vertebrados; 2012
Institución organizadora:
Universidad Maimónides
Resumen:
The digital cranial endocast of Antarctosaurus (MACN 6904) is complete, and measures 85 mm in total anteroposterior length. The olfactory tract and bulbs are short and horizontally projected. The pituitary cast is long and forms an angle of 85° with the medulla oblongata. The internal carotid arteries enter the tip of the pituitary fossa ventrolaterally through separate foramina. The disposition of cranial nerves (CN) II-XII is similar to that observed in other titanosaurs. However, although CN XI leaves the braincase through the large metotic foramen together with CN IX-X, its root is separated internally. The inner ear is complete. The lagena is simple, conical and ventrolaterally projected. The labyrinth is 25 mm wide. The anterior semicircular canal is slightly larger than the posterior semicircular canal, and the angle formed between these canals is approximately 100°. The lateral semicircular canal is circular in shape and more robust than the other two canals. Comparisons between sauropod endocasts show that variation in the endocranial morphology within the group corresponds to differences in the angle between the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, the relative length and orientation of the olfactory tract and bulbs, and the development of the dorsal sagittal venous sinuses. Titanosaurs show tendencies toward an anteroposterior shortening of the midbrain and a reduction in size of the semicircular canals of the inner ear.