Spinophorosaurus nigerensis

[Deleted]

Spinophorosaurus nigerensis



Temporal range: Middle Jurassic?, 167 Ma

Scientific Classification
Animalia
Chordata
Amniota
Sauropsida
Diapsida
Archosauromorpha
Archosauria
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauria
Saurischia
Eusaurischia
Sauropodomorpha
Plateosauria
Massopoda
Anchisauria
Sauropoda
Spinophorosaurus
Spinophorosaurus nigerensis

Size
Length: ~14 meters
Height: ~4 meters
Mass: ~15 tonnes

Etymology: Spine-bearing reptile of Niger

Described by: Remes et al.,2009

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Holotype specimen during excavation



Spinophorosaurus is a genus of early sauropod dinosaur from Niger. The only known species is Spinophorosaurus nigerensis.

It is notable for it's tail spikes. It's one of the few sauropods in which a braincase has been found.



The braincase is significantly different from those of the other examined Jurassic sauropods, probably with the exception of Atlasaurus.

The basisphenoids of Spinophorosaurus and Atlasaurus bear basipterygoid processes that are comparable in being directed strongly caudally. The Spinophorosaurus specimen was CT scanned, and 3D renderings of the cranial endocast and inner-ear system were generated.


Figure 1. Photographs of the braincase of the sauropod dinosaur Spinophorosaurus nigerensis (GCP-CV-4229) from the Jurassic of Aderbissinat, Niger; in left lateral (A), right lateral (B), rostral (C), caudal (D), dorsal (A), and ventral (B) views.


Figure 2. Close up photograph of the right sidewall of the braincase of the sauropod dinosaur Spinophorosaurus nigerensis (GCP-CV-4229) from the Jurassic of Aderbissinat, Niger.

The endocast resembles that of most other sauropods in having well-marked pontine and cerebral flexures, a large and oblong pituitary fossa, and in having the brain structure obscured by the former existence of relatively thick meninges and dural venous sinuses. The labyrinth is characterized by long and proportionally slender semicircular canals.

This condition recalls, in particular, that of the basal non-sauropod sauropodomorph Massospondylus and the basal titanosauriform Giraffatitan.




Specimen List
GCP-CV-4229 - holotype

References:
The Braincase of the Basal Sauropod Dinosaur Spinophorosaurus and 3D Reconstructions of the Cranial Endocast and Inner Ear(www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030060)
sauria.joachim-gabel.de/register.php?lang=eng&id=1520

[creature386]

This could be expanded a bit, but this is not the place to discuss this.
Therefore I will post some information, to make this post profile relevant:
The only known braincase of Spinophorosaurus (‘Argiles de l'Irhazer’, Irhazer Group; Agadez region, Niger) differs significantly from those of the Jurassic sauropods examined, except potentially for Atlasaurus imelakei (Tilougguit Formation, Morocco). The basisphenoids of Spinophorosaurus and Atlasaurus bear basipterygoid processes that are comparable in being directed strongly caudally. The Spinophorosaurus specimen was CT scanned, and 3D renderings of the cranial endocast and inner-ear system were generated. The endocast resembles that of most other sauropods in having well-marked pontine and cerebral flexures, a large and oblong pituitary fossa, and in having the brain structure obscured by the former existence of relatively thick meninges and dural venous sinuses. The labyrinth is characterized by long and proportionally slender semicircular canals. This condition recalls, in particular, that of the basal non-sauropod sauropodomorph Massospondylus and the basal titanosauriform Giraffatitan.
www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0030060