Maxakalisaurus topai

This titanosaur was closely related to the Argentinian Saltasaurus and its body was protected with osteoderms. This is the largest known dinosaur of Brazil.

Name

Maxakalisaurus topai

Authority

Kellner, Campos, Azevedo, Trotta, henriques, Craik and Silva, 2006

Meaning of generic name

The generic name is formed by Maxakali, from one of the Macro-jê stock language, honoring the Maxakali ethnic group that is present in the Minas Gerais State where this dinosaur was found, and saurus, which is the Greek word for lizard.

Meaning of specific name

From Topa, one of the Maxacali deities.

[Idolatrous, should have been Topae rather than Topai]

Size

Body length: 13 m ; Skull length: [not given]

Remains

Holotype (MN 5013-V): Partial skeleton composed of an incomplete right maxilla (with teeth), the remains of 12 cervical vertebrae (including several cervical ribs), part of seven dorsals (and ribs), one sacral neural spine, one sacral centrum, six caudals, several hemal arches, part of both scapulae, both sternal plates, the distal portion of a left ischium, both humeri, the second and forth right metacarpals, incomplete fibula, one osteoderm, and several unidentified bones.

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Adamantina Formation. Bauru Group. Upper Cretaceous (Turonian-Santonian)

Locality: Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Classification

Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Macronaria Titanosauriformes Titanosauria Titanosauridae Saltasaurinae

Further Reading

A. W. A. Kellner, D. d. A. Campos, S. A. K. Azevedo, M. N. F. Trotta, D. D. R. Henriques, M. M. T. Craik, and H. P. Silva. 2006. On a new titanosaur sauropod from the Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous of Brazil. Boletim do Museu Nacional, Nova Série, Geologia 74:1-31.

Creationist comment

Re "its body was protected with osteoderms", according to holotype those have not been found. The osteoderms of Saltasaurus have however been found and Maxakalisaurus is deemed "a close relative".