Magyarosaurus

***Magyarosaurus*** ("Magyar lizard") is a genus of dwarf sauropod dinosaur from late Cretaceous Period (early to late Maastrichtian) in Romania. It is one of the smallest-known adult sauropods, measuring only six meters in length. The type and only certain species is ***Magyarosaurus dacus***. It has been found to be a close relative of *Rapetosaurus* in the family Saltasauridae in the sauropod clade Titanosauria in a 2005 study.

*Magyarosaurus* was estimated to be 1.1 metric tons (1.1 long tons; 1.2 short tons) in weight. It carried strange dermal armour. The estimated length of *Magyarosaurus* is 6 metres (20 ft), according to Curry Rogers *et al.*. In 2010 Gregory S. Paul gave lower estimations of one tonne with the same length.

Stein *et al.* (2010) found that none of *Magyarosaurus'* close relatives had a reduced size. That means, for its clade, its small size therefore is a distinguishing autapomorphy.

A distal caudal vertebrae was referred to the genus by Codrea *et al.* (2008). It was probably from near the middle of the tail as it has transitional features. Before it was definitively buried, the neural arch was broken off, probably by repositioning of the vertebrae from its original position. Its centrum is elongated, and measures 105 millimetres (4.1 in) long. Both sides that would have articulated with vertebrae were severely damaged. It is assigned to *Magyarosaurus* on the basis that no other sauropods are known from the region it was found in, and the fact that it is located between the two vertebrae compared with it because of its intermediate morphology.

Remains belonging to at least ten individuals have been recovered from the Hunedoara region (Sânpetru Formation) in the area which was, at the time of their discovery, Hungary, but is now western Romania. Initially they were named *Titanosaurus dacus*, the specific name referring to the Dacians (who had lived in that place about 2000 years ago), by Baron Nopcsa in 1915. Nopcsa had collected fossils in the area since 1895. The species was later renamed *Magyarosaurus dacus* by Friedrich von Huene in 1932. von Huene in 1932 also named two other species: *M. hungaricus* and *M. transsylvanicus*. Larger, rarer *M. hungaricus* may represent a distinct taxon.

The holotype, **BMNH R.3861a**, consists of a set of vertebrae. Numerous other bones have been found, mainly caudal vertebrae but also dorsals and elements of the appendicular skeleton. No remains of skulls are known. There has been a discovery of 14 fossil eggs which have been attributed to *Magyarosaurus*.
Coracoid
Paleontology investigations have been carried out at Râpa Roșie near Sebeş, on the southwestern side of the Transylvanian Basin. The investigations were started in 1969. Dinosaur bones were reported in earlier investigations. Based on the investigations carried out by Codrea and Dica in 2005, they have assigned the age of these formations to the Maastrichtian-Miocene age (also conjectured as of Eggenburgian-Ottnangian age). Some of the rare fossils found here are also vertebrates and one of these is of sauropod caudal vertebra. Paleontologists involved with the studies at Râpa Roșie have also opined that this is the only sauropod genus reported at any time in the latest Cretaceous Maastrichtian formations in Romania, which could be stated as *Magyarosaurus*.

### Dwarfism[edit]

The islands it inhabited led to *Magyarosaurus* becoming a product of insular dwarfism as a result of selective pressures presented by limited food supplies and a lack of predators, all favoring a smaller body size. This is seen in many other dinosaurs existing at the time, including the ornithopod *Rhabdodon* and the nodosaur *Struthiosaurus*. Nopcsa was the first to suggest island dwarfism as an explanation for the small size of *Magyarosaurus* compared to other sauropods. Later researchers doubted his conclusions, suggesting instead that the known *Magyarosaurus* fossil represented juveniles. However, a detailed study of bone growth patterns published in 2010 supported Nopcsa's original hypothesis, showing that the small *Magyarosaurus* individuals were adults. Island dwarfism has been suggested to have led to isolated genera retaining more primitive characteristics.