New record of a Rebbachisauridae (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Candeleros Formation (Albian- Cenomanian) of northern Patagonia, Argentina

BELLARDINI, FLAVIO; GANDOSSI, PAOLO; CALVO, JORGE; PORFIRI, JUAN

Londres

Congreso; 3rd International Palaeontological Congress; 2010

NHM

During a fieldtrip made during 2006/2007 to the Late Cretaceous outcrops of the Aguada Pichana site,Neuquén Province (Northern Patagonia, Argentina), a new sauropod dinosaur was found in rocks of theCandeleros Formation (Neuquén Group, Rio Limay Subgroup). The fossil material is embedded in amedium-grained dark red sandstone of fluvial origin. The specimen comprises several anterior caudalvertebrae, humerus, radius, pubis?, fragmentary ilium and incomplete elements of ribs and sacrum. Thevertebral centra are platicoelous, short and high without pleurocoels and their lateral sides are slightlyconcave antero-posteriorly, while the ventral side is flat. The transverse processes are short and robust. Theneural arch is tall and borne in the anterior border of the centrum. The vertebral morphology together with theshape of the humerus and radius resemble those described for Rebbachisaurus tessonei (Calvo andSalgado, 1995) from the Candeleros Formation of El Chocon , Neuquén. A preliminary study of the materialin the field indicates a close relationship to R. tessonei; however, we may include this specimen as amember of a Rebbachisauridae.