Skin impressions of Tehuelchesaurus (Sauropoda) from the Upper Jurassic of Patagonia

Resumen

Most of the postcranial skeleton of the sauropod dinosaur, Tehuelchesaurus benitezii, collected from
the Cañadón Calcáreo Formation (Upper Jurassic) in the Chubut River valley, includes several fragments of
skin impressions, which correspond to different parts of the body, such as portions of forelimbs, scapular and
thorax regions. The most representative skin samples (Type I) consist of non-overlapping tubercular scales of
hexagonal shape (3 cm long - 2,4 cm width), alternating with smaller ones (2 cm long - 1,5 cm width) disposed in
a rosette pattern. Other scale samples (Type II) are similar to the first ones, but smaller in size, displaying
rhomboidal shapes disposed also in a rosette pattern. This discovery means an unique opportunity to improve
the knowledge of the external aspect of non-avian dinosaurs.