VULCANODONTIDAE Cooper, 1984

Allain, Ronan & Aquesbi, Najat, 2008, Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Tazoudasaurus naimi (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Early Jurassic of Morocco, Geodiversitas 30 (2), pp. 345-424 : 350-351

VULCANODONTIDAE Cooper, 1984

Genre Tazoudasaurus Allain, Aquesbi, Dejax, Meyer, Monbaron, Montenat, Richir, Rochdy, Russell & Taquet, 2004 Tazoudasaurus naimi Allain, Aquesbi, Dejax, Meyer, Monbaron, Montenat, Richir, Rochdy, Russell & Taquet, 2004 ( Figs 4 -44)

Anatomy and interrelationships of Tazoudasaurus ( Dinosauria, Sauropoda )

HOLOTYPE. — Material figured in the original publication ( Allain et al. 2004) and belonging to a single individual: left mandible ( CPSGM To1-275); left postorbital ( CPSGM To1); right quadrate ( CPSGM To1); tooth ( CPSGM To1-20); three dorsal vertebrae in connection ( CPSGM To1-38); distal chevron ( CPSGM To1-129); right pubis ( CPSGM To1-103); right astragalus ( CPSGM To1-31); ungual phalanx of pedal digit II ( CPSGM To1-114); left metatarsal II ( CPSGM To1-265).

REFERRED MATERIAL. — The material described in this paper belongs to the holotypic specimen or to different adult or juvenile specimens.

HORIZON AND LOCALITY. — Douar of Tazouda, near the village of Toundoute in the Province of Ouarzazate, High Atlas of Morocco. Lower and upper bone-beds (“Fossil locality A (or To2) and B (or To1/Pt)” of Allain et al. 2004; Fig. 3 ) of the Toundoute continental series, middle to late Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian-Toarcian; Montenat et al. 2005).

REVISED DIAGNOSIS. — A primitive sauropod displaying the following autapomorphies: thin bony plate extending from the posterodorsal margin of the postorbital; vertically oriented elliptical foramen magnum; absence of cpol on the presacral vertebrae; distal chevrons bridged proximally and forked distally with unfused anterior and posterior processes; phalangeal formula of the manus is 2-3-2-2-2; developed medial bump on the anterior surface of the proximal end of the metatarsal IV.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Femur and tibiae of Tazoudasaurus naimi found in close association in the locality To1’. To1’-380, right tibia; To1’-381, right femur; To1’-382, left tibia. Abbreviations: 4tr, fourth trochanter; lt, lesser trochanter.

FIG. 3. — Upper bone-bed of the continental series of Toundoute. Picture of the upper bone-bed showing the different localities (To1; To1’; Pt) which have yielded dinosaur remains.