Zapalasaurus was a genus of basal diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur that lived in South America during the Early Cretaceous (approx. 130–120 million years ago). It was a long-necked herbivore, with fossils found in the La Amarga Formation of Argentina, showing that these dinosaurs were more diverse during the Cretaceous than previously thought. Wikipedia +2
Key Facts about Zapalasaurus:
- Discovery and Name: Zapalasaurus bonapartei was discovered in the 1990s in the Neuquén Province, Argentina, and named in 2006 after the city of Zapala and paleontologist Jose Bonaparte.
- Diet and Behavior: As a long-necked, plant-eating sauropod, it likely used its neck to swing in an arc, allowing it to feed on a wide variety of plants without moving much. It likely fed at lower levels compared to other herbivores in its ecosystem.
- Physical Characteristics: It was a member of the Rebbachisauridae family, a group of diplodocoids, and had relatively short neural spines compared to other, similar dinosaurs.
- Environment: It lived alongside other dinosaurs like Amargasaurus and Amargatitanis in a habitat with braided rivers.
- Fossil Record: The known remains are partial, including pelvic bones (ilium, ischium, pubis), tail vertebrae, and limb bone fragments.