A novel genus and species of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur, unearthed from fossilized remnants in northern Patagonia, Argentina, has been officially identified, having inhabited the planet during the Cretaceous period.
Life reconstruction of Yeneen houssayi. Image credit: Gabriel Lío.
Designated Yeneen houssayi, this ancient vertebrate traversed Earth approximately 83 million years prior, during the Late Cretaceous epoch.
The prehistoric creature is classified within Titanosauria, a diverse assemblage of colossal, herbivorous dinosaurs distinguished by their elongated necks, which once populated the supercontinent Gondwana extensively.
“The cranial structure of Yeneen houssayi was notably diminutive in proportion to its overall corporeal dimensions,” stated Dr. Leonardo Filippi, a paleontological researcher affiliated with CONICET and the Museo Municipal Argentino Urquiza.
“Its estimated length ranged from 10 to 12 meters (33-39 feet), and its mass is projected to have been around 8 to 10 metric tons.”
The fossilized remains of Yeneen houssayi were excavated from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation, at a geological site designated Cerro Overo-La Invernada within the Neuquén province of Patagonia, Argentina.
The recovered skeletal material constitutes one of the most comprehensive titanosaurian specimens from this geographical region, encompassing six cervical vertebrae, ten dorsal vertebrae with accompanying ribs, the sacrum, and the initial caudal vertebra.
Beyond the holotype individual, the paleontological team identified fossil evidence belonging to at least two additional sauropod species at the excavation locale, including a juvenile specimen and another adult titanosaur potentially representing an undocumented species.
“Our phylogenetic examinations suggest that Yeneen houssayi shares a proximate evolutionary relationship with Narambuenatitan and Overosaurus, positioning it as a basal member within an yet-to-be-named clade of derived non-lithostrotian saltasauroids,” the researchers noted.
“The paleontological data gathered from the titanosaurian fauna of the Cerro Overo-La Invernada region indicates a relatively high degree of species diversity during the Santonian stage, with at least two distinct lineages coexisting: Collossosauria and Saltasauroidea.”
“Consequently, this discovery designates the Cerro Overo-La Invernada area as possessing the most significant titanosaur diversity recorded for the Santonian period in the Neuquén Basin, rendering it a site of exceptional importance for comprehending dinosaurian faunal evolution during that era.”
This significant scientific finding is detailed in a research publication that was issued on January 12, 2026, in the esteemed journal Historical Biology.
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L.S. Filippi et al. Yeneen houssayi gen. et sp. nov. and an overview of the sauropod titanosaurian diversity from Cerro Overo – La Invernada area (Bajo de la Carpa Formation, Santonian), North Patagonia, Argentina. Historical Biology, published online January 12, 2026; doi: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2584707
