Tiamat valdecii is a dinosaur that lived during the mid-Cretaceous period in Brazil. It belongs to a group of dinosaurs called titanosaurians, which are known for being large sauropods. Sauropods are long-necked dinosaurs, and Tiamat is one of the earliest known among them from the Potiguar Basin.
The naming of Tiamat comes from a mythical goddess from ancient Mesopotamia, known for her serpent-like form. This name was chosen to reflect the dinosaur’s primitive or “basal” position in the family tree of titanosaurs. The species name, valdecii, honors Dr. Valdeci dos Santos Júnior, who discovered the area where Tiamat’s fossils were found.
The fossils of Tiamat include nine vertebrae, which are the bones that make up the tail of the dinosaur. These were discovered in a place called the Açu Formation. The remains are currently held at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
This dinosaur represents an important find, as it is the first of its kind named from the Potiguar Basin, although there are other dinosaur remains from the area that are not yet classified.
In scientific studies, Tiamat has been identified as a basic or early type of titanosaur. It has been placed close to another dinosaur called Andesaurus in the family tree of these giant dinosaurs.
Tiamat valdecii provides valuable insight into the evolution and diversity of giant dinosaurs that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.