@article{9daf30519579432b98bcb2bd30ac16c7,
title = "A gigantic, exceptionally complete titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from southern Patagonia, Argentina",
abstract = "Titanosaurian sauropod dinosaurs were the most diverse and abundant large-bodied herbivores in the southern continents during the final 30 million years of the Mesozoic Era. Several titanosaur species are regarded as the most massive land-living animals yet discovered; nevertheless, nearly all of these giant titanosaurs are known only from very incomplete fossils, hindering a detailed understanding of their anatomy. Here we describe a new and gigantic titanosaur, Dreadnoughtus schrani, from Upper Cretaceous sediments in southern Patagonia, Argentina. Represented by approximately 70% of the postcranial skeleton, plus craniodental remains, Dreadnoughtus is the most complete giant titanosaur yet discovered, and provides new insight into the morphology and evolutionary history of these colossal animals. Furthermore, despite its estimated mass of about 59.3 metric tons, the bone histology of the Dreadnoughtus type specimen reveals that this individual was still growing at the time of death.",
author = "Lacovara, {Kenneth J.} and Lamanna, {Matthew C.} and Ibiricu, {Lucio M.} and Poole, {Jason C.} and Schroeter, {Elena R.} and Ullmann, {Paul V.} and Voegele, {Kristyn K.} and Boles, {Zachary M.} and Carter, {Aja M.} and Fowler, {Emma K.} and Egerton, {Victoria M.} and Moyer, {Alison E.} and Coughenour, {Christopher L.} and Schein, {Jason P.} and Harris, {Jerald D.} and Mart{\'i}nez, {Rub{\'e}n D.} and Novas, {Fernando E.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank J. Battisto, G. Blanco, G. Casal, N. Friedman, W. Gallagher, B. Gilio, U. Goren, E. Haganbarth, Y. Kamerbeek, M. Luna, Y. Manor, E. Palko, G. Povazsan, and Y. Sabag for tireless assistance in the field; A. Calvetti, N. Franco, J. Lacovara, and I. Saldia for logistical support; R. Boudwin, G. Leva, F. Maahs, A. Saunders, J. Spotila, A. Lowman, D. Crawford, J. Tucker, and D. Murasko for research and facilities support at Drexel University; F. Ercolano, P. Hearn, J. Pump, G. Warner, Rock-It Cargo, and Hamburg S{\"u}d Group for shipping; and L. Dreizler, S. Hevia, J. Maglio, K. McCardell, M. Palacios, G. Parma, R. Paz, E. Romero, A. Rosa, P. Tubaro, the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, the Museo Padre Molina, and the Province of Santa Cruz for permitting, customs, and insurance. Many fossil preparators laboured over Dreadnoughtus schrani, including E. Boucher, J. Caton, R. Christoforetti, A. Dragon, A. Jaworski, K. Keen, A. Malik, A. Patel, D. Pickering, J. Sawchak, A. Shaw, and N. Schiff. The 3D imaging was made possible by G. Keighton, D. McDevitt, S. Pandya, R. Primerano, K. Vannix, and J. Spanier and the Drexel Centralized Research Facility. We are grateful to V. Feldman for constructing Fig. 1M and Supplementary Fig. 7, L. Wright and G. Schultz for drafting Fig. 2A, T. Hsieh for advice on posture and gait in Fig. 2A, S. Siegler for assistance with the construction of 3D PDFs, H. Goldman for histological imaging, and B. Creisler for etymological consultations. We appreciate the invaluable technical input of M. Bonnan and M. Schweitzer. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (EAR Award 0603805 and three Graduate Research Fellowships [DGE Award 1002809]), the Jurassic Foundation, R. Seidel, Drexel University, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and the generosity of A. Schran.",
year = "2014",
month = sep,
day = "4",
doi = "10.1038/srep06196",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "4",
journal = "Scientific Reports",
issn = "2045-2322",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",
}