South American Sauropodomorph Dinosaurs, 1st ed. 2022 Record, Diversity and Evolution Springer Earth System Sciences Series

Sauropodomorpha Huene 1932 is one of the most successful groups of dinosaurs, including the most abundant and diverse herbivorous forms with a worldwide record, extending from the late Triassic to the late Cretaceous. Sauropodomorphs comprise a diverse assemblage of early forms (traditionally called ?prosauropods?) and the well-established clade Sauropoda Marsh 1878. Early sauropodomorphs were small to medium sized forms, with long necks and reduced skulls, mostly bipeds and omnivores and were abundant in continental environments in the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic. With more than 150 valid species and a worldwide distribution, Sauropoda includes the dominant herbivorous dinosaurs, from the Middle Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous. Its unique body plan, characterized by gigantic size, graviportal locomotion, long necks and tails, and reduced skulls, made this group an undisputed icon in popular culture since the 19^th century. In South America, the sauropodomorph record is particularly rich and abundant, and many species have shed light to understand important milestones in the evolutionary history of this group of dinosaurs. The origin of Sauropodomorpha, the transition to Sauropoda, and the diversification of its most successful evolutionary lineages are largely exemplified by the South American fossil record. In this contribution, we synthetize the diversity of sauropodomorphs from South America, including data on their geographic and stratigraphic provenance, phylogenetics, paleobiology, taphonomy and behaviour, underscoring their significance within the context of sauropodomorph evolution.

PREFACE

Otero, Carballido, Pol

 

CHAPTER 1

The early radiation of sauropodomorphs in the Carnian of South America

Langer, Apaldetti, Bronzati, Ezcurra, Marzola and Müller

 

CHAPTER 2

Non-sauropodiform plateosaurians: between biped gracile and robust quadrupedal

 

CHAPTER 3

Non-gravisaurian Sauropodiformes of South America: early trends towards gigantism

 

CHAPTER 4

Gravisaurian sauropods from the late Early Jurassic from South America and the radiation of Eusauropoda

 

CHAPTER 5

Highly specialized diplodocoids: the Rebbachisauridae

Salgado, Gallina and Lerzo

 

CHAPTER 6

Whiplash tails and spiny backs in southwestern Gondwana: flagellicaudatans from South America

 

CHAPTER 7

The rise of non-titanosaur macronarians in South America

 

CHAPTER 8

Titanosauria: early diversification and systematics

 

CHAPTER 9

Time for giants: titanosaurs from the Aptian-Santonian age

 

CHAPTER 10

 

CHAPTER 11

Eggs, nests and reproductive biology

 

CHAPTER 12

Body size evolution and locomotion in Sauropodomorpha: what the South American record tells us

 

CHAPTER 13

South American sauropodomorphs: what their bone histology has revealed to us?

 

CHAPTER 14

Sauropod ichnology: overview and new research lines from a South American perspective

Calvo, González Riga, Apesteguía and Tomaselli

 

CHAPTER 15

Taphonomy: overview and new perspectives related with the paleobiology of giants

González Riga, Casal, Fiorillo and Ortiz David