Pakisaurus
Name:
Pakisaurus
(Pakistan lizard).
Phonetic: Pak-e-sore-us.
Named By: M. Sadiq Malkani - 2006.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Saurischia, Sauropodomorpha, Sauropoda, Titanosauria,
Pakisauridae?
Species: P. balochistani
(type).
Diet: Herbivore.
Size: Unknown due to lack of remains.
Known locations: Pakistan, Balochistan - Pab
Formation.
Time period: Maastrichtian of the Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Based upon the description
of 4 caudal (tail) vertebrae. 3 further vertebrae later
assigned to the genus.
Named
from
only four caudal vertebrae, Pakisaurus is a genus
that faces a future
where without further remains, it will probably end up being regarded
as a dubious genus. This is because even if new titanosaurian
sauropod
fossils are discovered, they cannot be confidently assigned
to the genus unless they are found in association (ideally
articulated) to further caudal vertebrae that are an exact match to
those that were used to describe the genus. Likewise the
Pakisauridae, a family group established with Pakisaurus
as the type
genus, has not yet seen widespread international use for the very
same reasons that Pakisaurus will likely be
regarded as a dubious
genus. At the time of writing, Pakisaurus is
usually classified
only as a member of the Titanosauria.
Named
from only four caudal
vertebrae, Pakisaurus is a genus that faces a
future where without
further remains, it will probably end up being regarded as a dubious
genus. This is because even if new titanisaurian sauropod fossils are
discovered, they cannot be confidently assigned to the genus unless
they are found in association (ideally articulated) to further
caudal vertebrae that are an exact match to those that were used to
describe the genus. Likewise the Pakisauridae, a family group
established with Pakisaurus as the type genus,
has not yet seen
widespread international use for the very same reasons that Pakisaurus
will likely be regarded as a dubious genus. At the time of writing,
Pakisaurus is usually classified only as a member
of the Titanosauria.
In
2006 M. Sadiq Malkani also named four other titanosaur genera,
Balochisaurus,
Khetranisaurus,
Marisaurus
and Sulaimanisaurus,
all
based upon the description of caudal vertebrae. Malkani also named a
new genus of abelisaurid theropod, Vitakridrinda.
Further reading
- Saurischian dinosaurs from Late Cretaceous of Pakistan, by M. S.
Malkani. - In, Pakistan Geological Congress, Islamabad. National
Geological Society of Pakistan, Pakistan Museum of Natural History
(Pakistan Science Foundation) 71-73, - S. S. Hussain & H. D.
Akbar (eds.) - 2004.
- Biodiversity of saurischian dinosaurs from the latest Cretaceous
Park of Pakistan, M. Sadiq Malkani - 2006.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Random favourites
 |
 |
 |
 |