Jakapil

Jakapil is a genus of armored dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period (Turonian-Santonian stages) of Argentina. It is classified as a thyreophoran, the group that includes ankylosaurs and stegosaurs. Jakapil kaniukura is the only species currently assigned to the genus.

Jakapil is significant because it represents a relatively early-branching thyreophoran known from South America, a region where thyreophoran fossils are comparatively rare. Its discovery sheds light on the geographic distribution and evolution of armored dinosaurs during the Cretaceous.

The fossil remains of Jakapil are incomplete, but they include cranial and postcranial elements, allowing for a reconstruction of its overall anatomy. It was a small, bipedal animal with a distinctive row of osteoderms (bony plates) along its neck, back, and possibly tail, resembling the armor found in stegosaurs and ankylosaurs. It possessed a unique dentition, with leaf-shaped teeth that suggest an herbivorous diet.

The name Jakapil comes from a word meaning "shield bearer" in the Puelchean or Northern Tehuelche language, spoken by indigenous people of Patagonia. The species name, kaniukura, is derived from the Mapudungun word for "stone crest," referring to the prominent crest on the jawbone.

The discovery and description of Jakapil have contributed to a greater understanding of dinosaur diversity in South America and the evolutionary relationships within the Thyreophora.