Sauropods

["Dino Rampage" <dino_rampage@hotmail.com>]

Oops. Seems like I really ask too many questions. Sorry. This time it's a 
little more specific.

Just a bunch of questions to ask about sauropods in general. Sorry if many 
of you find this too long:

1) I understand that Antarctosaurus wichmannianus is now considered a 
diplodocoid (Is it?) How about the other two species of ?Antarctosaurus?, 
?A?. giganteus and ?A?. brasiliensis? The skull illustration on  DINODATA 
shows a skull that could be diplodocoid, but yet at the same time, it could 
also be titanosaurian. Is this the most recent reconstuction of the skull? 
And if A. wichmannianus is indeed diplodocoid, does it show affinities to 
dicraeosaurids, rebbachisaurids or diplodocids?
2) The DINODATA site also has a skull illustration of Alamosaurus 
sanjuanensis. However, it looks extremely diplodocid to me. Most 
reconstructions I have seen of Alamosaurus have given it a Camarasaur-like 
head. Since when have cranial elements been found? And are there any good 
restorations or skeletal reconstructions available on the Internet? And is 
it closely related to Saltasaurus? Would it be okay to give it dermal 
armour?
3) I have heard recently that Seismosaurus hallorum is most likely a large 
specimen of Diplodocus. How about Supersaurus vivianae? Is it still a 
separate taxon or is it more likely to be a large Diplodocus/ Barosaurus? If 
these two are indeed large individuals of Diplodocus, would it be more 
likely that they be assigned their own species (eg. Diplodocus hallorum, D. 
vivianae) or would they be sunk into the existing species of Diplodocus?
4) What features are there to differentiate Eobrontosaurus yahnahpin from 
Apatosaurus? And is there sufficient evidence to warrant placing Apatosaurus 
excelsus in Brontosaurus? How different are Eobrontosaurus and Brontosaurus 
from Apatosaurus ajax and A. louisae?
5) I?ve seen some reconstructions of Omeisaurus, Euhelopus and even 
Mamenchisaurus with a small tail club. Is there any direct evidence of this 
or is this simply an artifact of having a Shunosaurus tail club being found 
near an Omeisaurus tail?
6) I?ve been hearing about the apparently unique dentition of Nigersaurus, 
as well as the supposed sail on Rebbachisaurus garasbae. Any good 
restorations to refer to and give me some idea of how they may have looked 
like in the flesh?
7) Does Argentinosaurus show any affinites with the other two giants, 
Paralititan and Bruthakayosaurus? All three are gigantic titanosaurs, and 
all three are found in different regions of Gondwana. Any evidence to place 
this trio into their own family of giant titanosaurs?
8) I?ve seen many place Rapetosaurus close to Nemegtosaurus. Has any dermal 
armour been discovered in association with Rapetosaurus? If so, can we draw 
Nemegtosaurus with armour? Or is Nemegtosaurus more likely to be in fact a 
diplodocoid, as some members of the list think so? (Personally, I find it 
hard to believe that the diplodocids, dicraeosaurs, rebbachisaurids, 
brachiosaurs, camarasaurs and a whole host of other sauropod groups could 
have survived with the titanosaurs)


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