Leinkupal

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Leinkupal
Temporal range:
Ma
↓
Cervical and dorsal vertebrae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: †Sauropodomorpha
Clade: †Sauropoda
Superfamily: †Diplodocoidea
Family: †Diplodocidae
Subfamily: †Diplodocinae
Genus: †Leinkupal
Gallina et al., 2014
Type species
†Leinkupal laticauda
Gallina et al., 2014
Synonyms

Leinkupal is a

sauropod known from the Early Cretaceous (Late Berriasian to Early Valanginian stage) of the Bajada Colorada Formation, southeastern Neuquén Basin in the Neuquén Province of Argentina. It contains a single species, Leinkupal laticauda.[1]

History of discovery

Excavation of the holotype
Mid caudal vertebrae

In 2010 and 2012, at Picún Leufu in Neuquén Province, remains were uncovered of several types of dinosaurs. One of these was a diplodocoid sauropod new to science.[1]

In 2014, the

Mapudungun lein, "vanishing", and kupal, "family", in reference to Leinkupal being the last, or youngest, known species of the Diplodocidae. The specific name is derived from Latin, latus, "wide", and cauda, "tail", in reference to the broad caudal vertebrae.[1]

The holotype, MMCH-Pv 63-1, was found in a layer of the Bajada Colorado Formation dating from the Berriasian–Valanginian. It consists of a front tail vertebra. As paratypes were assigned: MMCH-Pv 63-2/3: two front tail vertebrae; MMCH-Pv 63-4: a hind tail vertebra, MMCH-Pv 63-5: a front dorsal vertebra, MMCH-Pv 63-6: a front tail vertebra; and MMCH-Pv 63-7/8: two vertebrae of the middle tail. Additional possible material has been discovered but was not referred as its identity was uncertain.[1]

A possible second specimen, MMCh-Pv-232 (a braincase), was described in 2022.[2] It was also found in the Bajada Colorada Formation.

Leinkupal was a relatively small sauropod, with an estimated body length of nine metres. Several unique derived traits, or

postzygapophyses, with two paired pneumatic openings at their inner bases, opposite from the joint facets.[1]

Classification

Anterior caudal vertebrae

Leinkupal was placed in the

South-America from Africa. Leinkupal is the only known unequivocal diplodocid from South-America and the youngest unequivocal diplodocid globally, the only known from the Cretaceous.[1]

Cladogram of the Diplodocidae after Tschopp, Mateus, and Benson (2015).[3]

Diplodocidae

Amphicoelias altus

Apatosaurinae

Unnamed species

Apatosaurus ajax

Apatosaurus louisae

Brontosaurus excelsus

Brontosaurus yahnahpin

Brontosaurus parvus

Diplodocinae

Unnamed species

Tornieria africana

Supersaurus lourinhanensis

Supersaurus vivianae

Leinkupal laticauda

Galeamopus hayi

Diplodocus carnegii

Diplodocus hallorum

Kaatedocus siberi

Barosaurus lentus

Palaeoenvironment

Leinkupal was discovered in the Bajada Colorada Formation. This formation is composed of red and greenish brown

dicraeosaurid sauropod Bajadasaurus[1][4] and the early titanosaur Ninjatitan
.

References
  1. ^
    PMID 24828328
    .
  2. S2CID 239658409
    .
  3. PMID 25870766
    .
  4. PMID 30718633
    .
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