Although the holotype specimen (OCPC 11141) of Titanotaria had been discovered in 1993 and represents one of the most complete fossil walrus known, little attention was given to the material for over 20 years.

The first mention of the fossils in peer-reviewed literature came in 2017 with Barboza and colleagues[1] publishing a faunal list of the Oso Member of the Capistrano Formation, where Titanotaria had been found.

Specifically, the fossilized bones were collected from the town of Lake Forest, Orange County, California, during the construction of the Saddleback Church.

[2] A full description followed a year after its mention by Barboza and was led by Isaac Magallanes, who published a detail examination of the fossils alongside a phylogenetic analysis.

This was meant to recognize the collaboration between the university and Orange County, which lead to the creation of the John D. Cooper Archaeological and Paleontological Center.

The front-most tip of the premaxilla is marked by a knob-shaped prenarial process, which is immediately followed by a depression located above the incisors and canines that likely serves as an origin for the lateral nasalis muscle.

[2] Phylogenetic analysis found that Titanotaria was a basal odobenid, nesting outside of the clade Neodobenia (named within the same publication as the genus).

[5] Prototaria primigenia Proneotherium repenningi Neotherium mirum Kamtschatarctos sinelnikovae Pseudotaria muramotoi Archaeodobenus akamatsui Pelagiarctos sp.

The eared seal Thalassoleon was also found in this formation, alongside giant sea cows, cetotheriid whales, the bizarre Desmostylus, various sharks and the remains of indetermined crocodiles.