Corazzatosaurus

Corazzatosaurus is a genus of extinct titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period of South America. Its fossils were discovered in the Neuquén Basin of Argentina. The name Corazzatosaurus means "armored lizard," referencing the osteoderms found associated with its remains. These osteoderms, which are bony plates embedded in the skin, suggest that Corazzatosaurus possessed some form of dermal armor, a characteristic found in some other titanosaur species.

The genus Corazzatosaurus was first described in 2018 based on fragmentary remains. These include several vertebrae and osteoderms. While the exact size of Corazzatosaurus is difficult to determine due to the incomplete nature of the fossil material, it is believed to have been a medium-sized titanosaur. Titanosaurs were a diverse group of long-necked, herbivorous dinosaurs that were the dominant large herbivores in the Southern Hemisphere during the Cretaceous.

The discovery of Corazzatosaurus adds to the growing understanding of titanosaur diversity in South America. The presence of osteoderms provides further evidence for the evolution of defensive structures within this group. Ongoing research and potential future discoveries may provide a more complete picture of this fascinating dinosaur and its place within the broader sauropod family tree.