Supersaurus lourinhanensis

Supersaurus (Dinheirosaurus) lourinhanensis - smaller cousin of the giant Morrison diplodocid Supersaurus vivianae

Temporal range: Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian

Length: Est. around ~21 metres
Probable mass: Between ~10-12 tonnes?

Etymology: Super reptile of Lourinha


Dinheirosaurus was a genus of diplodocid sauropod dinosaur. The fossils were described in 1999 by Bonaparte and Mateus, after excavations that lasted from 1987, the year of its discovery, to 1992. It was sunk into Supersaurus in 2015.

The material found was at first referred to the previously described Lourinhasaurus due to perceived similarities. Later analysis revealed the fossil to be a different kind of sauropod and was thus described as Dinheirosaurus.  It's species name comes from the town of Lourinhã.

The fossil remains consist of a partial skeleton (holotype, ML 414) of which the well-preserved articulated dorsal vertebrae are notable. The material also includes 12 dorsal ribs and fragmented limb bones. S. lourinhanensis is characterised by its Diplodocus-like vertebrae with bifurcated neural spines that have different proportions when compared to Diplodocus. Also present is an accessory interverterbral articulation provided by structures derived from the hyposphene.

Supersaurus lourinhanensis was featured in the documentary "Dinosaur Revolution", in which it broke the jaw of an Allosaurus europaeus, and fought and killed a Torvosaurus.
_____

UPDATE(4/16/2017): A complete remake based on my skeletal reconstruction. See previous version for comparison