<i>Pakisaurus balochistani</i> (Poripuchia, Slender Titanosauria, Sauropoda) Associated Skeletons Found from the Latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation of Pakistan and Referred Fossils from India; Filling of Important Missing Links of <i>Isisaurus colberti</i> Titanosaur Found from Pakistan

Abstract

Recently two slender and medium to large sized titanosaur taxa like Pakisaurus balochistani and Isisaurus colberti of pakisaurids Poripuch along with small sized stocky Saraikimasoom and medium sized stocky Gspsaurus of gspsaurids Poripuch have been recognized from Indo-Pakistan subcontinent.The diagnosis and description of Pakisaurus balochistani and some missing elements of Isisaurus colberti discovered from Pakistan are added here for understanding of possible fuller anatomy of slender titanosaurs. Further so far no any research information regarding the comparison of titanosaurs of India and Pakistan is available. Here present research provides the comparison between titanosaurs recognized from Pakistan and India. cently was discovered in 2000. So far 3000 fossil bones and pieces were discovered from Pakistan. All the fossil bones of titanosaurs were reported from the latest Cretaceous (67 -66 Ma) Vitakri Formation from Pakistan [3] [4] and its coeval Lameta sediments from India. The skull of Marisaurus jeffi titanosaur [5], different types of osteoderms of titanosaurs were reported first time in Asia [6] and titanosauriforms or basal titanosaur [7] were reported from Pakistan. Five taxa of titanosaurs from Pakistan namely Pakisaurus balochistani, Sulaimanisaurus gingerichi and Khetranisaurus barkhani of pakisaurids, Marisaurus jeffi and Balochisaurus malkani of balochisaurids were established on diverse caudal vertebrae [8]. This extended abstract [8] was submitted earlier than papers [5] [6] [7] but due to conference date changing from 2003 to 2004, the papers [5] [6] [7] were published earlier than conference [8] paper. These taxa of titanosaurs were described and figured in 2006 [9]. Diverse presacral vertebrae of titanosaurs were also reported from Pakistan [10]. Later on many postcranial fossils were referred to Marisaurus jeffi [11] [12] [13], Balochisaurus malkani [13] [14] and Pakisaurus balochistani [15]. These titanosaurs were considered invalid [16] except Isisaurus and Jainosaurus. The fossils from Pakistan were diagnostic and consequently Gspsaurus pakistani [17] and Saraikimasoom vitakri [17] were established on diagnostic skull and snout which were previously referred to Marisaurus jeffi [9] and Balochisaurus malkani [9] respectively. Further Nicksaurus razashahi [17] [18] and Maojandino alami [18] [19] were established on holotypic cranial, vertebral and appendicular elements which were previously referred to Marisaurus jeffi [9] and Balochisaurus malkani [9] respectively. Recently four titanosaurs from Indo-Pakistan like Gspsaurus pakistani [20] [21], Saraikimasoom vitakri [22] [23], Pakisaurus balochistani [24] and here, and Isisaurus colberti [25] (and here) were diagnosed out of total 15 named taxa from Indo-Pakistan subcontinent.

First Snout with Complete Teeth Row of Small Titanosaur in Indo-Pakistan Found from the Latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation of Pakistan; Associated Cranial and Postcranial Skeletons of <i>Saraikimasoom vitakri</i> (Poripuchia, Stocky Titanosauria, Sauropoda) from Pakistan and Referred Fossils from India

“…mentioned that although further associations are required. The presently associations from Pakistan and India[23] [24] and reported here revealed that the Pab braincase belongs to Saraikimasoom and this result is consistent with the other cranial and postcranial assignment. The other Indian sauropod genus, Jainosaurus, is represented by braincase material that has been recovered only from central and western India.…”

“…Nicksaurus and Maojandino were established on cranial and associated postcranial materials [18] [19]. Recently four titanosaur taxa were recognized from Indo-Pakistan [20] [21] [22] [23] [24], Vitakridrinda [25] and Vitakrisaurus [25] [26] [27] large sized theropods, Induszalim [25] [28] [29], Pabwehshi [30] and Sulaimanisuchus [25] [26] mesoeucrocodiles, and many other biotas [31] [32] from Pakistan. Due to lack of snout or anterior skull materials from Indo-Pakistan, here the detail description of snout, cranial and postcranial materials from Pakistan are being presented.…”

First Skull of Medium Sized Titanosaur in Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent Found from the Latest Maastrichtian Vitakri Formation of Pakistan; Associated Cranial and Postcranial Skeletons of <i>Gspsaurus pakistani</i> (Poripuchia, Stocky Titanosauria, Sauropoda) from Pakistan and India

“…Tibia has a rugose proximal end surface that becomes concave and slightly depressed centrally, due to attachement of distal tibial condylar end. The fibular condylar ridge extends down distally as a ridge in Gspsaurus (unlike Pakisaurus [24] and probably Isisaurus from Indo-Pakistan [24]. The distal end of the tibia is quite robust.…”

“…Tibia: Fortunately four different types of key tibiae [24] were discovered from Pakistan belonged to distinguish four taxa from Indo-Pakistan like Isisaurus (relatively less transverse width of flattened and slender tibia than Pakisaurus) and Pakisaurus (relatively more transverse width of flattened and slender tibia than Isisaurus) of pakisaurids (transversely narrow and slender tibiae), and Gspsaurus (biconvex lense shaped anteroposteriorly elongated stocky proximal tibia and transversely expanded distal tibia) and Saraikimasoom (subsquare shaped proximal tibia with about equal anteroposterior and transverse widths of stocky proximal tibia and transversely expanded distal tibia) of gspsaurids (transversely broad and stocky tibiae). These four diversities of key tibiae have discarded the hypothesis of only two titanosaurs taxa from Indo-Pakistan the almost equidimensional of the tibia of the somphospondylans Antarctosaurus [62] and Paluxysaurus [63], and transversely broad distal end of tibia of Pakisaurus balochistani [24] and Isisaurus colberti [24] pakisaurids.…”

“…Nicksaurus and Maojandino were established on cranial and associated postcranial materials [18] [19]. Recently four titanosaur taxa were recognized from Indo-Pakistan [20] [21] [22] [23] [24], Vitakridrinda [25] and Vitakrisaurus [25] [26] [27] large sized theropods, Induszalim [25] [28] [29], Pabwehshi [30] and Sulaimanisuchus [25] [26] mesoeucrocodiles, and many other biotas [31] [32] from latest Cretaceous of Pakistan. All these vertebrate fossils are collected from 25 localities in eastern Sulaiman (middle Indus) Range and their locations are shown in maps [14].…”