Rayososaurus

Rayososaurus
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Superorder: Dinosauria
Order: Saurischia
Suborder: Sauropodomorpha
Infraorder: Sauropoda
Superfamily: Diplodocoidea
Family: Rebbachisauridae
Genus: Rayososaurus
Bonaparte, 1996
Species
  • R. agrionensis Bonaparte, 1996 (type)

Rayososaurus is a genus of plant-eating sauropod dinosaur of the superfamily Diplodocoidea. It was found in the Rayoso Formation, in Patagonia, Argentina and lived about 99 million years ago (during the Early Cretaceous). The type species is R. agrionensis, named by Argentinian paleontologist Jose Bonaparte in 1996.[1]

There is some debate whether Rayososaurus is indeed a separate genus. However, morphological and temporal differences tend to support its claim. Fossil finds are only a scapula, femur and part of fibula. The racket-shaped scapula is characteristic of the Rebacchisauridae.

References

  1. ^ Bonaparte, J. (1996). "Cretaceous tetrapods of Argentina". Münchner Geowissenschaften Abhandlungen 30: 73-130.