meet Tapuisaurus macedoi, a new titanosaur from Brazil

[peluna@terra.com.br]

Dear list

Tapuisaurus macedoi is the 17th Brazilian dinosaur species described, the 9th 
titanosaur and a very special 
indeed, because of it complete wonderfull skull - the first titanosaur skull 
found in Brazil!

I just talked by phone with paleontologist Alberto Carvalho, of the Museu de 
Zoologia, Universidade de Sao Paulo 
(US), and co-author of the paper on Tapuiasaurus macedoi, 120 Ma. 

Since 2005 the researchers found at least 4 specimens in a small town named 
Coracao de Jesus (Jesus heart), right 
at the center of Minas Gerais State, SE Brazil.

The story leaked today at the daily newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo.

Because of the leak, Dr. Carvalho refused to tell me the journal the paper was 
submited to - since it still is 
being reviewed for publication.

But after some investigation I learned it is PLoS One.

Carvalho told me the Museum will organize a press conference on October, 4th, 
about the new species, with the 
opening of an exibition of the specimen and a natural reconstruction of it.

The principal investigator is Prof. Hussam Zaher, the directo of the Zoology 
Museum-USP. He is in the US right now 
and I could not talk with him.

best

Peter Moon, Ph.D.
Sao Paulo