Oxalaia

Ox-ah-lie-ah.
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Emily Green

Paleobotanist

Emily Green brings the ancient world of plants to life through her insightful research and engaging writing. Her expertise lies in examining how prehistoric vegetation influenced climate patterns and animal evolution.

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Name

Oxalaia ‭(‬After the deity Oxal�‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ox-ah-lie-ah.

Named By

Alexander Wilhelm Armin Kellner,‭ ‬Sergio A.K.‭ ‬Azevedeo,‭ ‬Elaine B.‭ ‬Machado,‭ ‬Luciana B.‭ ‬Carvalho‭ & ‬Deise D.R.‭ ‬Henriques‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Theropoda,‭ ‬Spinosauridae,‭ ‬Spinosaurinae.‭

Diet

Piscivore.

Species

O.‭ ‬quilombensis‭ (‬type‭)‬

Size

Estimated between‭ ‬12‭ ‬and‭ ‬14‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Brazil,‭ ‬Cajual Island‭ ‬-‭ ‬Alc�ntara Formation.

Time Period

Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Single fused premaxillae,‭ ‬fragment of the left maxilla.

In Depth

       Although only currently known from partial snout remains,‭ ‬it is still enough material to declare Oxalaia a spinosaurid due to the unique nature of the snout.‭ ‬Spinosaurid teeth were also known from the fossil site before the current material was discovered,‭ ‬and may‭ ‬have‭ ‬belonged to Oxalaia in life.‭ ‬With its total length estimated between twelve and fourteen metres,‭ ‬Oxalaia was smaller than Spinosaurus,‭ ‬yet larger than Baryonx and probably also Suchomimus.‭ ‬Also if the larger estimate of fourteen metres ever proves correct then Oxalaia may have been the one of the longest South American theropod dinosaurs,‭ ‬being just a bit bigger than the lowest estimate of Giganotosaurus.‭

       The species name O.‭ ‬quilombensis is in reference to the quilombo settlements on Cajual Island that were originally built by escaped slaves.‭ ‬Along with Irritator,‭ ‬the discovery of Oxalaia is further proof that Africa and South America were once joined during the Mesozoic, something that allowed the spinosaurids to spread over the two continents.

Further Reading

– A new dinosaur (Theropoda, Spinosauridae) from the Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Alc�ntara Formation, Cajual Island, Brazil. – Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ci�ncias 83(1):99-108. – A. W. A. Kellner, S. A. K. Azevedo, E. B. Machado, L. B. Carvalho & D. D. R. Henriques – 2011.

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