Opisthocoelicaudia
Opisthocoelicaudia is a genus of titanosaur sauropod dinosaur. It is from Late Cretaceous rocks from Mongolia's Nemegt Basin. In 1965 a well preserved skeleton was found, missing only a neck and head.
| Opisthocoelicaudia | |
|---|---|
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| Skeleton restoration in the Museum of Evolution of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw | |
Scientific classification 
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| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Bagualosauria |
| Family: | Saltasauridae |
| Genus: | Opisthocoelicaudia Borsuk-Białynicka, 1977 |
| Species: | O. skarzynskii
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| Binomial name | |
| Opisthocoelicaudia skarzynskii Borsuk-Białynicka, 1977
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Possible synonymy with Nemegtosaurus
Scientists are arguing whether Nemegtosaurus is a synonym of Opisthocoelicaudia or its own genus.
Opisthocoelicaudia Media
Mounted holotype specimen
Latero-ventral view of the opisthocoelous anterior tail vertebrae, which lend Opisthocoelicaudia its name
Shoulder blade and coracoid of a juvenile (ZPAL MgD-I/25c)
The ischium and pubis bones. The gap normally present between these bones is closed, a characteristic of Opisthocoelicaudia.
Limbs of Opisthocoelicaudia, showing the digit-less semicircular hands and the fully developed feet
Skeletal drawing showing elements of the type specimen
Cast of the skull of Nemegtosaurus, a possible senior synonym, mounted on the Opisthocoelicaudia skeletal restoration in Warsaw
A: Posture based on the 1977 reconstruction by Borsuk-Białynicka with a horizontal back. B: Posture based on the 2007 reconstruction by Schwarz et al. with a much steeper scapula (green) angled 60° towards the horizontal, resulting in a downwards tilting back.
