Skin impressions of Tehuelchesaurus (Sauropoda) from the Upper Jurassic of Patagonia

• Autores: Olga del Valle Giménez
• Localización: Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, ISSN-e 1853-0400, ISSN 1514-5158, Vol. 9, Nº. 2, 2007, págs. 119-124
• Idioma: español
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• Resumen

  • Most of the postcranial skeleton of the sauropod dinosaur, Tehuelchesaurus benitezii, collected fromthe Cañadón Calcáreo Formation (Upper Jurassic) in the Chubut River valley, includes several fragments ofskin impressions, which correspond to different parts of the body, such as portions of forelimbs, scapular andthorax regions. The most representative skin samples (Type I) consist of non-overlapping tubercular scales ofhexagonal shape (3 cm long - 2,4 cm width), alternating with smaller ones (2 cm long - 1,5 cm width) disposed ina rosette pattern. Other scale samples (Type II) are similar to the first ones, but smaller in size, displayingrhomboidal shapes disposed also in a rosette pattern. This discovery means an unique opportunity to improvethe knowledge of the external aspect of non-avian dinosaurs.