Inawentu (meaning imitator) is an extinct genus of titanosaurian sauropod that lived in Late Cretaceous of Argentina. The type species is Inawentu oslatus. Its square-shaped jaw shares convergent characteristic with rebbahcisaurids.
Discovery and Naming[]
The holotype (MAU-Pv-LI-595) was discovered in sediments of Bajo de la Carpa Formation near Neuquen province, Argentina. In 2016, the find was presented at a conference in Argentina. in 2023, Filippi announced it as a new genus in a non-final preprint. The description was finalized in 2024. The generic name is a Mapundungun word Inawentu, meaning imitator, while the specific name combines the Latin words os and latus.
Description[]
The skull has similar characteristics with other rebbachisaurids. The neck of it consists of twelve vertebrae. The central and neural arches of the neck and back vertebrae are highly modified, meaning its neck was capable of multi-directional movement. The hips were narrower than Saltasaurus and Neuquensaurus.
Classification[]
It is classified as a member of the unrecognized clade of squared-jaw eutitanosaurs, "Clade A". Its sister taxon is Antarctosaurus.
Paleoecology[]
It lived with other "Clade A" member of titanosaurs, such as Rinconsaurus.
Gallery[]
