A Medium-Sized Ornithopod (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Bajo Barreal Formation of Lago Colhué Huapi, Southern Chubut Province, Argentina

• DOI: 10.2992/007.079.0103
• Publication Date: 2010-09-13T12:19:59Z
• Authors: Lucio M. Ibiricu; Rubén D. Martínez; Matthew C. Lamanna; Gabriel A. Casal; Marcelo Luna; Jerald D. Harris; Kenneth J. Lacovara
• Keywords: Postcrania

An associated partial postcranial skeleton is described as the third definitive ornithopod dinosaur record from Upper Cretaceous Bajo Barreal Formation of central Patagonia, Argentina. Specifically, specimen was recovered uppermost (Campanian—?Maastrichtian) Member exposed on an ephemeral island in southeastern portion Lago Colhué Huapi southern Chubut Province. Identifiable elements include four incomplete dorsal vertebrae, three anterior caudal a middle neural arch, posterior vertebra, rib fragment, right calcaneum, and portions left metatarsal III IV. Comparisons with corresponding other ornithischians indicate that material pertains to medium-sized, non-hadrosaurid ornithopod. In particular, morphology calcaneum characteristic ornithopods this "grade". The new discovery augments our understanding latest terrestrial vertebrate assemblage Patagonia adds generally meager Late Southern Hemisphere.