Leinkupal

Line-ku-pal.
Published on

Harper Gray

Paleoartist

Harper Grey combines artistic talent with scientific precision to bring extinct creatures and environments back to life. Collaborating closely with paleontologists

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Leinkupal ‭(‬Vanishing family‭)‬.

Phonetic

Line-ku-pal.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Dinosauria,‭ ‬Saurischia,‭ ‬Sauropoda,‭ ‬Diplodocidae,‭ ‬Diplodocinae.

Diet

Herbivore.

Species

L.‭ ‬laticauda‭

Size

Holotype estimated to be about‭ ‬9‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Argentina,‭ ‬Neuqu�n Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Bajada Colorada Formation.

Time Period

Berriasian/Valanginian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Several Vertebrae.

In Depth

       The name Leinkupal means‭ ‘‬vanishing family‭’‬,‭ ‬and this is a reference to the observation that the diplodocid sauropods seemed to have died out during the early Cretaceous.‭ ‬Indeed,‭ ‬at the time of its description,‭ ‬Leinkupal seems to have been one of the last diplodocid sauropods known to live,‭ ‬though other types of sauropods,‭ ‬and particularly titanosaurs would continue.‭ ‬Leinkupal seems to have been a very small dinosaur for its kind,‭ ‬and may also be a possible relative of the genus Tornieria from Tanzania.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A Diplodocid Sauropod Survivor from the Early Cretaceous of South America.‭ ‬-‭ ‬PLoS ONE‭ ‬9‭ (‬5‭)‬:‭ ‬e97128.‭ ‬-‭ ‬P.‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Gallina,‭ ‬S.‭ ‬N.‭ ‬Apestegu�a,‭ ‬A.‭ ‬Haluza‭ & ‬J.‭ ‬I.‭ ‬Canale.‭ ‬-‭ ‬2014.

Never Miss a New Species or Fossil Discovery!

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Arthropleura