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 | |
|---|---|
| File:Opisthocoelicaudia Museum of Evolution in Warsaw 02.JPG | |
| Skeleton restoration in the Museum of Evolution of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Bagualosauria |
| Family: | Saltasauridae |
| Genus: | Opisthocoelicaudia Borsuk-Białynicka, 1977 |
| Species: | O. skarzynskii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Opisthocoelicaudia skarzynskii Borsuk-Białynicka, 1977
| |
Possible synonymy with Nemegtosaurus
Scientists are arguing whether Nemegtosaurus is a synonym of Opisthocoelicaudia or its own genus.
Opisthocoelicaudia Media
- Opisthocoelicaudia holotype-Japanese exhibition.jpg
Mounted holotype specimen
- Opisthocoelicaudia Museum of Evolution in Warsaw 08.JPG
Latero-ventral view of the opisthocoelous anterior tail vertebrae, which lend Opisthocoelicaudia its name
- Opisthocoelicaudia Museum of Evolution in Warsaw 25.JPG
Shoulder blade and coracoid of a juvenile (ZPAL MgD-I/25c)
- Opisthocoelicaudia Museum of Evolution in Warsaw 23.JPG
The ischium and pubis bones. The gap normally present between these bones is closed, a characteristic of Opisthocoelicaudia.
- Opisthocoelicaudia Museum of Evolution in Warsaw 20.JPG
Limbs of Opisthocoelicaudia, showing the digit-less semicircular hands and the fully developed feet
- Opisthocoelicaudia skeleton restoration.jpg
Skeletal drawing showing elements of the type specimen
- Opisthocoelicaudia Museum of Evolution in Warsaw 14.JPG
Cast of the skull of Nemegtosaurus, a possible senior synonym, mounted on the Opisthocoelicaudia skeletal restoration in Warsaw
- Opisthocoelicaudia posture.svg
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.