Jainosaurus

Taxobox
name = "Jainosaurus"
fossil range=Late Cretaceous
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Sauropoda
familia = Titanosauridae
subfamilia = Saltasaurinae
genus = "Jainosaurus"
genus_authority=Hunt "et al.", 1995
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
*"J. septentrionalis" (von Huene & Matley, 1933 [originally "Antarctosaurus septentrionalis"] ) (type)

"Jainosaurus" ("Jain's lizard") was a large titanosaurid dinosaur of India and wider Asia, which lived in the Maastrichtian (approximately 68 mya). It was named to honour the Indian paleontologist Sohan Lal Jain, [http://www.dinosauria.com/dml/names/dinoj.htm] who worked on the cranial nerve impressions in the skull; [cite book
author = Sahni, Ashok
title = Dinosaurs of India
publisher = National Book Trust, New Delhi
year = 2001
isbn = 8123731094] at the time it was known as "Antarctosaurus septentrionalis". Jain believes this species is possibly related or may be identical to the 1877 identification of "Titanosaurus indicus". [http://www.dinoruss.org/de_4/5a6d955.htm "Jainosaurus" in The Dinosaur Encyclopaedia] ]

A herbivorous quadruped, an adult "Jainosaurus" would have measured around 18 m long and 6m high. No accurate estimate of the weight has yet been made.

The taxonomic status of "Jainosaurus" is disputed on many fronts. The first remains found were classified as "Antarctosaurus septentrionalis" by Friedrich von Huene and Matley in 1933, but in 1995 Hunt, Lockley, Lucas & Meyer recognised them as forming a distinct genus. However, Jain himself now believes that the remains represent merely a young or female "Titanosaurus" and not a distinctive genus at all. It is unlikely that the matter will be decided soon as so few remains have been found - only a basicranium and partial postcrania have been found.

References