Abstract
Titanosaurs articulated cranial elements especially jaw bones with articulated complete teeth row are extraordinarily rare. Here the holotypic snout with articulated jaw bones and complete teeth row of Saraikimasoom vitakri are being presented which has international significance and contributes to understanding the evolutionary relationships and paleobiogeographic history of the vertebrates of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. The completeness of the skeleton, in particular the presence of a well-preserved skull has a significant influence on resolution of titanosaur phylogeny. Here Saraikimasoom vitakri holotypic snout from South Kinwa, and referred jaw with articulated pointed and rounded teeth along with associated postcranial fossils from north Kinwa, and other associated materials from Mari Bohri, mid-Sangiali, Zubra Basti Nala and Grut localities of Pakistan are being presented. All these assemblages show consistent results.
Highlights
Titanosaurs postcrania are found worldwide, but their skulls are exceptionally rare [33] but here first snout GSP/MSM-142-4 with articulated elements and complete teeth row of Saraikimasoom vitakri titanosaur found from Pakistan are being presented
The Saraikimasoom vitakri holotypic teeth from south Kinwa skull MSM-142-4 and Saraikimasoom vitakri referred 6 associated teeth with partial jaw MSM-138-4n from north Kinwa 4n overlapped and have the same morphology, while the non-overlapping portion of the skeleton of north Kinwa 4n broaden the diagnosis of the species and its distinction from the other Cretaceous titanosaurs of Indo-Pakistan landmass like Isisaurus colberti and Pakisaurus balochistani slender titanosaurs and Gspsaurus pakistani stocky titanosaur
Saraikimasoom vitakri exemplar (Figure 9) of Grut Gambrak based on the morphology of holotypic and referred dorsal and caudal vertebrae, femora and distal stocky tibia as overlap and used the non-overlapping portion broaden the diagnosis of the species and its distinction from the other Cretaceous titanosaurs of Indo-Pakistan landmass
Summary
Titanosaurs postcrania are found worldwide, but their skulls are exceptionally rare [33] but here first snout GSP/MSM-142-4 with articulated elements and complete teeth row of Saraikimasoom vitakri titanosaur found from Pakistan are being presented This snout specimen is of international significance and contributes to understanding the evolutionary relationships and paleobiogeographic history of the vertebrates of Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. In this way these cranial and postcranial fossils and their characters are significant for phylogenetic and evolutionary study of titanosaurs and Gondwanan paleobiogeographic affinity
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