A new diplodocoid sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Montana, USA

Abstract

A partial skeleton of a new sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation (?Tithonian) of Montana is described. Suuwassea emilieae gen. et sp. nov. is diagnosed by numerous cranial, axial, and appendicular autapomorphies. The holotype consists of a premaxilla, partial maxilla, quadrate, braincase with partial skull roof, several partial and complete cranial and middle cervical, cranial dorsal, and caudal vertebrae, ribs, complete scapulocoracoid, humerus, partial tibia, complete fibula, calcaneus, and partial pes. It displays numerous synapomorphies of the Diplodocoidea, including characters of both the Diplodocidae (Apatosaurus + (Diplodocus + Barosaurus)) and Dicraeosauridae (Dicraeosaurus + Amargasaurus). Preliminary phylogenetic analysis indicates that Suuwassea is a diplodocoid more derived than rebbachisaurids but in a trichotomy with both the Diplodocidae and Dicraeosauridae. Suuwassea represents the first well-supported, North American, non-diplodocid representative of the Diplodocoidea and provides new insight into the origins of both the Diplodocidae and Dicraeosauridae.