Lusotitan

Taxobox
name = "Lusotitan"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Late Jurassic
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Sauropodomorpha
infraordo = Sauropoda
familia = Brachiosauridae
genus = "Lusotitan"
genus_authority = Antunes & Mateus, 2003
species = "L. atalaiensis"
binomial = "Lusotitan atalaiensis"
binomial_authority = (Lapparent & Zbyszewski, 1957)

"Lusotitan" is the name given to a genus of dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Period. It was a brachiosaurid sauropod with long forearms, one of the hallmarks of the brachiosaur family. Its fossils were found in the Lourinhã Formation, in Portugal, dating to the Tithonian stage of the Late Jurassic.cite journal| last = Antunes| first = Miguel| authorlink = | coauthors = Mateus, Octavio| title = Dinosaurs of Portugal| journal = Comptes rendus. Palévol | volume = 2| issue = 1| pages = 77-95| publisher = | location = | date = 2003| url = http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14732825| doi = | id = | accessdate = 2008-07-06]

A partial skeleton was uncovered in Portugal in 1957; it is estimated that "Lusotitan" was 25 meters (82 feet) long. No skull has yet been found, but it would fit the typical brachiosaurid pattern with very high and open nostrils and spoon-shaped teeth. The type species is "Lusotitan atalaiensis". Originally described as "Brachiosaurus atalaiensis" by Lapparent and Zbszewski in 1957, it was reclassified in 2003.

References

Dixon, Dougal. 'The Complete Book of Dinosaurs.' Hermes House, 2006.

External links

* [http://www.users.qwest.net/~jstweet1/brachiosauridae.htm Brachiosauridae] from "Thescelosaurus!"