Pronunciation: at-uh-cam-uh-tie-tan
Meaning: Atacama giant
Author/s: Kellner et al. (2011)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Antofagasta, Chile
Discovery Chart Position: #749
Atacamatitan chilensis
(Atacama Giant from Chile)Etymology
Atacamatitan is derived from "Atacama" (the desert in which it was found) and the Greek "titan" (relating to the pre-Zeus giant deities from Greek mythology). The species epithet, chilensis, means "from Chile" in Latin.
Discovery
The first remains of Atacamatitan were discovered in the Tolar Formation near Conchi Viejo town, 50 km east from El Abra copper mine, Atacama dessert, Antofagasta Region, Chile, in February 2000 by an expedition party from the Museo Nacional de Historia Natural (Santiago) and the Museu Nacional/UFRJ (Rio de Janeiro), with more remains excavated during a second expedition during July 2001.
The holotype (SGO-PV-961, housed at the Sección Paleontología,
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural) is a right thigh, the
end of a humerus, two back vertebrae and some ribs, one
tail vertebra, what appars to be a lump of sternum, and an assortment of unidentifiable odds and sods.
