Pitekunsaurus

thrown-away lizard (approximate)

• pitekun · Mapudungun (Mapuche) · to throw away / cast off
• sauros · Greek · lizard

The name combines the Mapuche (Mapudungun) word "pitekun", which I understand to mean "to throw away", with the Greek "sauros", meaning lizard. The Mapuche root fits the Patagonian region where the fossil was found. I am not certain of the exact reason the root was chosen, so I am not giving a specific rationale.

Named by

Filippi and Garrido

Year named

2008

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Campanian

Found in

Anacleto Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina

A titanosaurian sauropod; the type species is Pitekunsaurus macayai. It is known from partial skull and skeletal material.