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Sauroposeidon Adventure (was Re: Sauropod Biology)

Mike Taylor wrote:

That's Wedel et al. 2000.  (Cifelli was second author):

        Wedel, M. J., R. L. Cifelli and R. K. Sanders.  2000.
        _Sauroposeidon proteles_, a new sauropod from the Early
        Cretaceous of Oklahoma.  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
        20(1):109-114.


D'oh!  Thanks Mike.  My deepest apologies to Matt.

The meaning of the species name _proteles_ is given as "(perfected before the end, Greek), in reference to the species? culmination of brachiosaurid adaptations just before the extinction of North American sauropods." _Sauroposeidon_ is of Aptian-Albian age; and although there is evidence that brachiosaurids lingered on in North America, there's no evidence that they ever got as big as this monster. Some time around the mid-Cretaceous, the titanosaurs took over.

Cheers

Tim