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Brohisaurus
Brohisaurus is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-aged) Sembar Formation of Pakistan. The type species is B. kirthari. Discovery and namingThe holotype, MSM-86-K to 94-K, 96-K to 98-K, 101-K to 105-K, consisting of largely indeterminate fragments of some ribs, vertebrae, and limb bones, were discovered in the Sembar Formation and were named and described by Muhammad Sadiq Malkani in 2003,[1] making Brohisaurus the only valid genus of dinosaur known from Pakistan to date, although other informal genera are known. The genus name means "Baluchi lizard" and refers to the Baluchi people who live in the area where it was found. The species name refers to the Kirthar Mountains. DescriptionBrohisaurus, like all sauropod dinosaurs, would have been a large-bodied, long-necked herbivore. Its femur was only 12 cm across.[1] The 15 to 20 meter long titanosauriform Phuwiangosaurus, by contrast, had a femur 20 cm in diameter.[2] ClassificationBrohisaurus was originally described as a titanosaur.[1] Malkani suggested it was similar to the early African titanosaur Malawisaurus, arguing that this provided evidence for a biogeographic link between the Indian subcontinent and Africa. However, the phylogenetic position of Brohisaurus is not clear. None of the proposed traits uniting it to Titanosauria are definitive synapomorphies of that clade.[3] It does appear to possess at least two synapomorphies of the Titanosauriformes: pneumatic cavities in its thoracic ribs and femora with elliptical cross sections. References
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