Phylum Chordata | Class Sauropsida Scientific name Mendozasaurus neguyelap Rank Genus | |
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Similar Futalognkosaurus, Epachthosaurus, Rinconsaurus, Neuquensaurus, Malawisaurus | ||
Mendozasaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur. It was a member of Titanosauria, which were massive sauropods that were common on the southern landmasses during the Cretaceous period.
Mendozasaurus is known from incomplete remains that show it was an armored animal, with armor being common among many later titanosaurs such as Saltasaurus. This dinosaur lived from the late Turonian to the late Coniacian, approximately 89-85 million years ago. It belonged to the recently discovered clade Lognkosauria, a transitional group of titanosaurs which included the gigantic Futalognkosaurus and Puertasaurus. Like both of these animals, Mendozasaurus had a long, thick neck with very heavy cervical ribs and massive neural spines.
The type species, Mendozasaurus neguyelap, was described by Argentine paleontologist Bernardo J. Gonzalez Riga [2] in 2003. Mendozasaurus is the first dinosaur named from Mendoza Province, Argentina.