Malarguesaurus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Sauropsida |
Superorder: | Dinosauria |
Order: | Saurischia |
Suborder: | Sauropodomorpha |
Infraorder: | Sauropoda |
(unranked): | Titanosauriformes |
Genus: |
Malarguesaurus González Riga et al., 2008 |
Species | |
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Malarguesaurus is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Mendoza Province, Argentina. Its fossils, consisting of tail vertebrae, chevrons, ribs, and limb bones, were found in the late Turonian-early Coniacian-age (~89 million years old) Portezuelo Formation of the Neuquén Group. The type species, described by González Riga et al. in 2008, is M. florenciae. Described as a robust sauropod, its closest known relatives may be Ligabuesaurus and Phuwiangosaurus. Like other sauropods, Malarguesaurus would have been a large quadrupedal herbivore.Malarguesaurus is the second sauropod dinosaur discovered in Mendoza Province; the first is Mendozasaurus neguyelap.