Cathartesaura Temporal range: Cenomanian, 97–93 Ma |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Order: | Saurischia |
Suborder: | †Sauropodomorpha |
Clade: | †Neosauropoda |
Family: | †Rebbachisauridae |
Genus: |
†Cathartesaura Gallina & Apesteguía, 2005 |
Species: | †C. anaerobica |
Binomial name | |
Cathartesaura anaerobica Gallina & Apesteguía, 2005 |
Cathartesaura is a genus of rebbachisaurid sauropod dinosaur hailing from the Late Cretaceous strata of the Huincul Formation located in the "La Buitrera" locality, Río Negro Province, Argentina. The fossil remains, described by Gallina and Apesteguía in 2005, consist of a partial skeleton including vertebrae and limb bones. These were found at the base of the formation, which spans the Cenomanian and Coniacian epochs, in mudstone and sandstone levels.
The generic name is composed of Cathartes, the New World vulture genus and -saura, feminine declination of the Greek term sauros, "lizard". It also implies the juxtaposition of the components of the scientific name of the turkey vulture, Cathartes aura, whose Spanish name, "buitre", named the locality where the fossil was found due to the abundance of such birds there.
The specific epithet honors the Argentinian adhesive company Anaeróbicos for providing field and laboratory support during the extraction and preparation of the fossils.