A 3D reconstruction of the holotype skull of Euhelopus zdanskyi, an Early Cretaceous titanosauriform sauropod. The reconstruction is part of a newly published analysis of the skull by paleontologists Stephen Poropat and Benjamin Kear.
Write the researchers in the latest issue of PLOS ONE:
The fact that relatively complete sauropod skulls are so rare in the fossil record, particularly among titanosauriforms, means that the skulls that are known should be as thoroughly described and well-illustrated as possible. This contribution supplements previous descriptions of the cranial elements of Euhelopus, one of the few euhelopodid taxa for which cranial material is known, by presenting a comprehensive photographic atlas of the skull elements to facilitate a better understanding of their morphology. We describe several elements which have been overlooked in past studies of Euhelopus, and also provide as accurate a reconstruction of the skull as possible (in the absence of the braincase), the most significant components of which are the articulations of the palate and the mandible.
Illustration by Tomas Wigren