Pronunciation: SHAH-kee-SOR-us
Meaning: Elder guanaco lizard
Author/s: Nogueira et al. (2024)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Río Negro, Argentina
Discovery Chart Position: #1121
Chakisaurus nekul
(Swift Elder Guanaco Lizard)Etymology
Chakisaurus is derived from "chaki" (meaning "Elder Guanaco" in the Aonikenk language of the indigenous Tehuelche people) and the Greek "sauros" (lizard).
A Guanaco (scientific name: Lama guanicoe, coined by Müller in 1776) is a wild South American camelid related to the llama and alpaca.
The species epithet, nekul, means "swift" in the Mapudungun language. ZooBank registry: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DA4773F5-37C8-4B84-8042-DC989F232044.
Discovery
The remains of Chakisaurus were discovered in the Huincul Formation at the Pueblo Blanco Natural Reserve (former Violante Farm), near Ramos Mexia Lake, Río Negro province, Argentina.
The holotype (MPCA Pv 816) consists of three pieces each of back and hip vertebrae, twelve tail vertebrae, a partial right shin and heel, a partial left thigh and calf bone, and 2 toe bones.
Paratypes include MPCA Pv 822 (five partial back vertebrae, a left upper arm, and the bottom ends of both thighs belonging to a juvenile specimen), MPCA Pv 823 (the top part of a right lower arm bone belonging to a second juvenile) and MPCA Pv 813 (eight partial back vertebrae, two rib ends, two partial chevrons, the bottom end of a right lower arm bone, a toe bone and a claw.
A single neck vertebra (MPCN Pv 846) was also referred to Chakisaurus.
The paratype specimens were all found mingled at the same spot, but 500 metres from the holotype site.
Preparators
A. Moreno.
