View source for Biology:Arkharavia

{{Short description|Extinct genus of reptiles}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = [[Earth:Late Cretaceous|Late Cretaceous]], {{fossil range|66}}
| image = Arkharavia.png
| image_caption = Restoration as a somphospondylian
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Arkharavia
| authority =Alifanov & Bolotsky, 2010
| type_species = '''''Arkharavia heterocoelica'''''
| type_species_authority = Alifanov & Bolotsky, 2010
}}

'''''Arkharavia''''' (meaning "Arkhara road") is a [[Biology:Nomen dubium|dubious]] [[Biology:Genus|genus]] of [[Biology:Somphospondyli|somphospondylan]] sauropod, but at least some of the remains probably belong to a [[Biology:Hadrosauridae|hadrosaurid]].<ref name="mannionetal">{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/zoj.12029|title=Osteology of the Late Jurassic Portuguese sauropod dinosaur ''Lusotitan atalaiensis'' (Macronaria) and the evolutionary history of basal titanosauriforms|journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society|volume=168|pages=98–206|year=2013|last1=Mannion|first1=Philip D.|last2=Upchurch|first2=Paul|last3=Barnes|first3=Rosie N.|last4=Mateus|first4=Octávio|url=http://docentes.fct.unl.pt/sites/default/files/omateus/files/mannion_et_al_2013_sauropod_lusotitan_portugal.pdf}}</ref> It was discovered in the [[Earth:Udurchukan Formation|Udurchukan Formation]] in {{wipe|Russia}} and lived during the [[Earth:Late Cretaceous|Late Cretaceous]]. It was described in 2010 by Alifanov and Bolotsky and the [[Biology:Type species|type species]] is ''A. heterocoelica''.

==Description==
The [[Biology:Holotype|holotype]] material consists of a single anterior caudal vertebra. Also, a tooth and a few [[Biology:Anatomical terms of location|proximal]] tail [[Biology:Vertebra|vertebra]]e (from near the base of the tail) were originally described as belonging to this species, but these probably belong to an indeterminate hadrosaur.<ref name="mannionetal"/><ref name=godefroit>{{cite journal|author=Godefroit, P.|author2=Bolotsky, Y.L.|author3=Bolotsky, I.Y.|name-list-style=amp |year=2011|title=Osteology and relationships of ''Olorotitan arharensis'', a hollowcrested hadrosaurid dinosaur from the latest Cretaceous of Far Eastern Russia|journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica|volume=57|issue=3|pages=527|doi=10.4202/app.2011.0051|doi-access=free}}</ref> The vertebrae are unusual in being weakly heterocoelous,<ref name=AB10>{{cite journal |last=Alifanov |first=V. R. |author2 = Bolotsky, Y. L. |year=2010 |title=''Arkharavia heterocoelica'' gen. et sp. nov., a new sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of the Far East of Russia |journal=Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal |volume=2010 |issue=1 |pages=76–83 |language=Russian }}</ref> which means that the centrum or body of a vertebra has saddle-shaped surfaces where it meets the vertebrae in front or behind it.

==Classification==
''Arkharavia'' was originally classified as a [[Biology:Titanosaur|titanosaur]]iform sauropod, thought to be related to ''[[Biology:Chubutisaurus|Chubutisaurus]]'', a sauropod from the Cretaceous of {{wipe|Argentina}}.<ref name=AB10/> However, further study showed that the referred vertebra in fact belonged to a hadrosaurid.<ref name=godefroit/> The holotype vertebra is currently considered an indeterminate [[Biology:Somphospondyli|somphospondylan]].<ref name="mannionetal"/>

==Contemporaries==
''Arkharavia'' lived in the Amur Region, which was a 'hot spot' for dinosaurs in Russia. Other dinosaurs from the area include the [[Biology:Lambeosaurinae|lambeosaurines]] (hollow-crested duckbills) ''[[Biology:Amurosaurus|Amurosaurus]]'', ''[[Biology:Olorotitan|Olorotitan]]'', and ''[[Biology:Charonosaurus|Charonosaurus]]'', and the [[Biology:Saurolophinae|saurolophine]] (duckbills without hollow crests) ''[[Biology:Kerberosaurus|Kerberosaurus]]'' and ''[[Biology:Wulagasaurus|Wulagasaurus]]''.<ref name=AB10/>

==See also==
* 2010 in paleontology

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1425845}}

[[Category:Macronarians]]
[[Category:Nomina dubia]]



{{Sourceattribution|Arkharavia}}