Yeneen

Yeneen lived about 83 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period.2

Its name comes from the Tehuelche people's word for a winter spirit, because it was found at a place called La Invernada, which means 'wintering place'.1

The species name houssayi honors Bernardo Houssay, an Argentine Nobel Prize winner who helped create the country's main science agency.1

Scientists found almost all of Yeneen's back bones, including six neck vertebrae, ten back vertebrae, and the hip bone, which is rare for a titanosaur.12

A second, smaller Yeneen was also found, just a single hip bone from a younger individual.12

Yeneen belonged to a group of titanosaurs called Saltasauroidea, and its closest relatives include Narambuenatitan and Overosaurus.1

The discovery of Yeneen helps scientists understand why so many different titanosaurs lived in the same area during the Late Cretaceous.2