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Wintonotitan wattsi  (Hocknull et al. 2009)

win-ton-oh-tie-tan  wot-sigh

Watt’s Winton Giant

Sauropoda, Titanosauriformes

Winton Formation, central western Queensland

Mid-Cretaceous (Latest Albian) 100-98 million years ago

Approximately 15 to 16 m long

Approximately 3 m high at the hip

Approximately 10 to 15 tonnes

June, 1978

Queensland Museum (QM)

Holotype specimen (QMF 7292): left scapula (shoulder blade), partial left and right humeri (upper forearm), partial left and right ulnae (lower forearm), partial right and near complete left radii (lower forearm), near complete right metacarpus (foot) preserving complete metacarpals II-V with proximal half of metacarpal I (toe bones), fragmentary dorsal (trunk) and sacral (pelvic) vertebrae and ribs, partial right ilium (pelvis), right ischium (pelvis), caudal vertebral (tail vertebrae) series including anterior caudals, middle caudals, posterior caudals and proximal chevrons (tail ribs). Numerous additional unidentified or unrecognised bone fragments.

Silhouette reconstruction of Clancy showing articulated fossil specimens described to date (from Hocknull et al. 2009).

WATT'S WINTON GIANT

The holotype skeleton of Wintonotitan wattsi (or Clancy) was first discovered in the late 1970’s by Keith Watts, after whom the species is named. The Queensland Museum collected the specimen from the surface in the 1980’s, including partial limbs and tail vertebrae.

In 2004 and 2006 Australian Age of Dinosaurs returned with the Queensland Museum to excavate the remaining skeleton.

 

These later excavations revealed more vertebrae and parts of the pelvic girdle, enough to enable its full scientific description in 2009.

Wintonotitan wattsi is much more slender in its limb proportions compared to the robust Diamantinasaurus matildae. It is distantly related to Diamantinasaurus, having branched off the titanosaur family tree further down than Diamantinasaurus.

New mid-Cretaceous (late Albian) dinosaurs from Winton, Queensland, Australia. (2009) PLoS ONE, 4(7): e6190. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006190

Scott A. Hocknullª, Mathew A. Whiteº, Travis R. Tischlerº, Alex G. Cookª, Naomi D. Callejaº, Trish Sloanº, David A. Elliottº

ª Geosciences, Queensland Museum, 122 Gerler Rd. Hendra, Queensland, Australia, 4011.