Abstract
CT scans of the type braincase of Limaysaurus tessonei (MUCPv-205) allowed the first study of the endocranial cavities (brain and inner ear) for this South American taxon. Comparisons of the cranial endocast of L. tessonei with other sauropods indicate that 1) South American rebbachisaurids are more similar to each other than to Nigersaurus, and 2) certain association of traits are present in all known rebbachisaurid cranial endocasts, such as lack of an enlarged dorsal expansion, poorly laterally projected cerebral hemispheres, presence of a small flocculus of the cerebellum, markedly long passage for the facial nerve (CN VII), markedly inclined pituitary, and presence of a passage for the basilar artery communicating the floor of the endocranial cavity and the pituitary fossa. The relatively enlarged olfactory region indicates that smell was an important sense for this group of dinosaurs, suggesting different olfactory capabilities when compared to coeval titanosaurs.
Highlights
Knowledge of diplodocoid sauropods in South America is scarce, it has been improved in recent years, due new findings in Argentina (e.g. Salgado et al 2006, Apesteguía 2007, Carballido et al 2012, Haluza et al 2012, Ibiricu et al 2012, 2013, Gallina et al 2014, 2019, Rauhut et al 2015)
The purpose of the present study is to redescribe the braincase osteology of L. tessonei (Fig. 1) under the light of new anatomical information based on CT scans, providing the first descriptions of the brain and inner ear for this taxon (Figs. 2, 3)
The CT scans allowed to corroborate the identification of braincase neurovascular foramina made by Calvo & Salgado (1995), adding new information regarding the internal disposition of passages for almost all cranial nerves, internal carotid arteries, basilar artery, and the orbitocerebral veins
Summary
Knowledge of diplodocoid sauropods in South America is scarce, it has been improved in recent years, due new findings in Argentina (e.g. Salgado et al 2006, Apesteguía 2007, Carballido et al 2012, Haluza et al 2012, Ibiricu et al 2012, 2013, Gallina et al 2014, 2019, Rauhut et al 2015). Salgado et al 2006, Apesteguía 2007, Carballido et al 2012, Haluza et al 2012, Ibiricu et al 2012, 2013, Gallina et al 2014, 2019, Rauhut et al 2015) Within this group, Rebbachisauridae is a family of sauropod dinosaurs that lived from the early Cretaceous to the late Cretaceous of South America, Europe and Africa (Bonaparte 1997, Carvalho et al 2003, Upchurch et al 2004, Apesteguia et al 2010, Whitlok 2011, Mannion & Barret 2013, Torcida Fernandez-Baldor et al 2011). BRAINCASE AND PALEONEUROLOGY OF Limaysaurus scarce, being known for Nigersaurus taqueti from the Aptian-Albian of Africa (Sereno et al 1999, 2007), and Limaysaurus tessonei (Calvo & Salgado 1995) and an unnamed rebbachisaurid (MMCH-PV 71; Paulina-Carabajal et al 2016) from the Cenomanian of North Patagonia, Argentina. S4-S6), and MMCG-PV 71 using latex endocasts (Paulina-Carabajal et al 2016)
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