Unranked clade

Valid Extinct

Colossosauria

González Riga et al. 2019

Colossosauria is a clade of titanosaur sauropods from the latest Early Cretaceous through the Late Cretaceous of South America. The group was originally named by Bernardo González-Riga et al. in 2019 and defined as the "most inclusive clade containing Mendozasaurus neguyelap but not Saltasaurus loricatus or Epachthosaurus sciuttoi". The clade contains different taxa depending on the phylogenetic analysis used, in the defining paper the only subgroups were Rinconsauria and Lognkosauria, but alternate phylogenies published previously had also included various similar titanosaurs such as Aeolosaurus, Bonitasaura, Drusilasaura, Overosaurus and Quetecsaurus. The phylogenetic analysis of González-Riga et al. (2019) placed Colossosauria as sister taxa to Epachthosaurus, Pitekunsaurus and a larger clade including Saltasauridae.

Temporal range

Triassic

Jurassic

Cretaceous

Paleogene

Neogene

252 201 145 66 0 Ma

PBDB occurrences

Group

Dinosaures

Herbivore Ground dwelling, gregarious Terrestrial

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Wikimedia

PBDB ↗ Wikipedia ↗

Classification

Dinosauria Unranked clade

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Saurischia Unranked clade

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Sauropodomorpha Unranked clade

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Massopoda Unranked clade

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Sauropodiformes Unranked clade

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Sauropoda Unranked clade

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Gravisauria Unranked clade

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Eusauropoda Unranked clade

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Neosauropoda Unranked clade

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Macronaria Unranked clade

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Titanosauriformes Unranked clade

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Somphospondyli Unranked clade

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Titanosauria Unranked clade

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Colossosauria Unranked clade

Fossil sites 27 geolocated sites

Distribution

Top countries

🇦🇷 Argentina

🇧🇷 Brazil

🇹🇿 Tanzania

🇲🇦 Morocco

Geological formations

Adamantina

Portezuelo

Plottier

Bajo de la Carpa

Anacleto

Ciénaga del Río Huaco

Bajo Barreal

Huincul

Galula

Cerro Lisandro

Temporal distribution

Maastrichtian (72.2–66 Ma)

Campanian (83.6–72.2 Ma)

Santonian (85.7–83.6 Ma)

Coniacian (89.8–85.7 Ma)

Turonian (93.9–89.8 Ma)

Cenomanian (100.5–93.9 Ma)

Images 1

Bibliography

Original description

B. J. González Riga, M. C. Lamanna, and A. Otero, L. D. Ortiz David, A. W. A. Kellner, L. M. Ibiricu. 2019. An overview of the appendicular skeletal anatomy of South American titanosaurian sauropods, with definition of a newly recognized clade. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 91(Suppl. 2):e20180374:-1–42 DOI ↗

Bibliography (23)

N. R. Longrich, A. Pérez-Moreno, and V. Díez Díaz, X. Pereda-Suberbiola, N. Bardet, N. Jalil. 2026. A Titanosaurian Sauropod with South American Affinities (Lognkosauria: Argentinosauridae) from the Late Maastrichtian of Morocco and Evidence for Dinosaur Endemism in Africa. Diversity 18(5):241 DOI ↗

F. Agnolin, M. Motta, and J. García Marsá, M. Aranciaga Rolando, G. Alvarez Herrera, N. Chimento, S. Rozadilla, F. Brizzon-Egli, M. Cerroni, K. Panzeri, S. Bogan, S. Casadio, J. Sterli, S. Miquel, S. Martínez, L. Perez, D. Pol, F. Novas. 2025. New fossiliferous locality from the Anacleto Formation (Late Cretaceous, Campanian) from northern Patagonia, with the description of a new titanosaur. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 26(2):217-259

F. L. Agnolin, B. J. Gonzalez Riga, and A. M. Aranciaga Rolando, S. Rozadilla, M. J. Motta, N. R. Chimento, F. E. Novas. 2023. A new giant titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Cretaceous Research 146:105487 DOI ↗

F. Bellardini, G. J. Windholz, and M. A. Baiano, A. C. Garrido, L. Filippi. 2021. New titanosaur remains from the Portezuelo Formation (Turonian–Coniancian) and their implications for the sauropod faunal diversity of the southern Neuquén Basin, Patagonia, Argentina. Journal of South American Earth Sciences 111:103457 DOI ↗

E. M. Hechenleitner, L. Leuzinger, and A. G. Martinelli, S. Rocher, L. E. Fiorelli, J. R. A. Taborda, L. Salgado. 2020. Two Late Cretaceous sauropods reveal titanosaurian dispersal across South America. Communications Biology 3:622:1-13 DOI ↗

K. L. N. Bandeira, F. Medeiros Simbras, and E. Batista Machado, D. de Almeida Campos, G. R. Oliveira, A. W. A. Kellner. 2016. A new giant Titanosauria (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous Bauru Group, Brazil. PLoS ONE 11(10):e0163373:1-25 DOI ↗

B. J. González Riga, M. C. Lamanna, and L. D. Ortiz David, J. O. Calvo, J. P. Coria. 2016. A gigantic new dinosaur from Argentina and the evolution of the sauropod hind foot. Scientific Reports 6:19165:1-15 DOI ↗

B. J. González Riga and L. Ortiz David. 2014. A new titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous (Cerro Lisandro Formation) of Mendoza Province, Argentina. Ameghiniana 51(1):3-25 DOI ↗

E. Gorscak, P. M. O'Connor, and N. J. Stevens, E. M. Roberts. 2014. The basal titanosaurian Rukwatitan bisepultus (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the middle Cretaceous Galula Formation, Rukwa Rift Basin, southwestern Tanzania. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 34(5):1133-1154 DOI ↗

R. A. Coria, L. S. Filippi, and L. M. Chiappe, R. Garcia, A. B. Arcucci. 2013. Overosaurus paradasorum gen. et sp. nov. , a new sauropod dinosaur (Titanosauria: Lithostrotia) from the Late Cretaceous of Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina. Zootaxa 3683(4):357-376 DOI ↗

E. B. Machado, L. S. Avilla, and W. R. Nava, D. A. Campos, A. W. A. Kellner. 2013. A new titanosaur sauropod from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil. Zootaxa 3701(3):301-321 DOI ↗

R. D. Juárez Valieri and J. O. Calvo. 2011. Revision of MUCPv 204, a Senonian basal titanosaur from northern Patagonia. Dinosaurios y Paleontología desde América Latina. Anales del III Congreso Latinoamericano de Paleontología. Editorial de la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Neuquén

A. G. Martinelli, D. Riff, and R. P. Lopes. 2011. Discussion about the occurrence of the genus Aeolosaurus Powell 1987 (Dinosauria, Titanosauria) in the Upper Cretaceous of Brazil. Gaea - Journal of Geoscience 7(1):34-40 DOI ↗

C. Navarrete, G. Casal, and R. Martínez. 2011. Drusilasaura deseadensis gen. et sp. nov., un nuevo titanosaurio (Dinosauria–Sauropoda), de la Formacíon Bajo Barreal, Cretácico Superior del norte de Santa Cruz, Argentina [Drusilasaura deseadensis gen. et sp. nov., a new titanosaur (Dinosauria–Sauropoda), from the Bajo Barreal Formation, Upper Cretaceous of the north of Santa Cruz, Argentina]. Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia 14(1):1-14 DOI ↗

R. M. Santucci and A. C. d. Arruda-Campos. 2011. A new sauropod (Macronaria, Titanosauria) from the Adamantina Formation, Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous of Brazil and the phylogenetic relationships of Aeolosaurini. Zootaxa 3085:1-33 DOI ↗

L. S. Filippi and A. C. Garrido. 2008. Pitekunsaurus macayai gen. et sp. nov., nuevo titanosaurio (Saurischia, Sauropoda) del Cretácico Superior de la Cuenca Neuquina, Argentina [Pitekunsaurus macayai gen. et sp. nov., new titanosaur (Saurischia, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of the Neuquén Basin, Argentina]. Ameghiniana 45(3):575-590

L. Salgado and I. S. Carvalho. 2008. Uberabatitan ribeiroi, a new titanosaur from the Marília Formation (Bauru Group, Upper Cretaceous), Minas Gerais, Brazil. Palaeontology 51(4):881-901 DOI ↗

J. O. Calvo, B. J. González Riga, and J. D. Porfiri. 2007. A new titanosaur sauropod from the Late Cretaceous of Neuquén, Patagonia, Argentina. Arquivos do Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro 65(4):485-504

J. O. Calvo, J. D. Porfiri, and B. J. González Riga, A. W. A. Kellner. 2007. A new Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystem from Gondwana with the description of a new sauropod dinosaur. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 79(3):529-541 DOI ↗

A. W. A. Kellner, D. d. A. Campos, and S. A. K. d. Azevedo, M. N. F. Trotta, D. D. R. Henriques, M. M. T. Craik, H. d. P. Silva. 2006. On a new titanosaur sauropod from the Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous of Brazil. Boletim do Museu Nacional, Nova Série, Geologia 74:1-31

F. E. Novas, L. Salgado, and J. O. Calvo, F. L. Agnolín. 2005. Giant titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia. Revista del Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, nuevo serie 7(1):37-41 DOI ↗

J. O. Calvo and B. J. González Riga. 2003. Rinconsaurus caudamirus gen. et sp. nov., a new titanosaurid (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia, Argentina. Revista Geológica de Chile 30(2):333-353 DOI ↗

B. J. González-Riga. 2003. A new titanosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mendoza Province, Argentina. Ameghiniana 40(2):155-172

Colossosauria

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