Leinkupal

Line-ku-pal.
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Harper Gray

Paleoartist

Harper Grey combines artistic talent with scientific precision to bring extinct creatures and environments back to life. Collaborating closely with paleontologists

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Name

Leinkupal ‭(‬Vanishing family‭)‬.

Phonetic

Line-ku-pal.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Sauropoda,‭ ‬Diplodocidae,‭ ‬Diplodocinae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

L.‭ ‬laticauda‭

Size

Holotype estimated to be about‭ ‬9‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Argentina,‭ ‬Neuqu�n Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Bajada Colorada Formation.

Time Period

Berriasian/Valanginian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Several Vertebrae.

In Depth

       The name Leinkupal means‭ ‘‬vanishing family‭’‬,‭ ‬and this is a reference to the observation that the diplodocid sauropods seemed to have died out during the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬Indeed,‭ ‬at the time of its description,‭ ‬Leinkupal seems to have been one of the last diplodocid sauropods known to live,‭ ‬though other types of sauropods,‭ ‬and particularly titanosaurs would continue.‭ ‬Leinkupal seems to have been a very small dinosaur for its kind,‭ ‬and may also be a possible relative of the genus Tornieria from Tanzania.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A Diplodocid Sauropod Survivor from the Early Cretaceous of South America.‭ ‬-‭ ‬PLoS ONE‭ ‬9‭ (‬5‭)‬:‭ ‬e97128.‭ ‬-‭ ‬P.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Gallina,‭ ‬S.‭ ‬N.‭ ‬Apestegu�a,‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Haluza‭ & ‬J.‭ ‬I.‭ ‬Canale.‭ ‬-‭ ‬2014.

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