In Depth
In 2006 the palaeontologists M. Sadiq Malkani managed to name five titanosaurs from the Pab Formation of Pakistan, all described from caudal (tail) vertebrae. Malkani also named two new families of titanosaurs, the Pakisauridae and the Balochisauridae as homes for the new titanosaurs. Balochisaurus as you may have guessed is the type genus of the Balochisauridae, which also includes Marisaurus. It is questionable if either the Balochisauridae and the Pakisauridae and their member genera will survive future classification given the manner that these titanosaurs were named, though it’s not impossible either that they might be proven valid with future finds.
The other titanosaurs named by Malkani in 2006 are Pakisaurus, Sulaimanisaurus and Khetranisaurus, all assigned to the Pakisauridae. Also in 2006, Malkani named an abelisaurid theropod named Vitakridrinda.
Further Reading
- Biodiversity of saurischian dinosaurs from the latest Cretaceous Park of Pakistan, M. Sadiq Malkani - 2006.
