Ferganocephale

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Ferganocephale
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic,
~168–164  Ma
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Ornithischia
Genus: Ferganocephale
Averianov et al., 2005
Species:
F. adenticulatum
Binomial name
Ferganocephale adenticulatum
Averianov et al., 2005

Ferganocephale is a dubious genus of neornithischian dinosaur. It was from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita of Kyrgyzstan. The type and only species is F. adenticulatum. [1]

Contents

Classification

Ferganocephale was originally classified in the group Pachycephalosauridae. It would then be one of the oldest known pachycephalosaurids. [1] Robert M. Sullivan however, in 2006 disputed the pachycephalosaur classification, finding "few of the features [...] are characteristic of pachycephalosaur teeth," citing the lack of serrations on the teeth, and concluding the specimens are "too incomplete for identification". He considers the taxon a nomen dubium , and a non-pachycephalosaurid ornithischian. [2] In 2024, a comprehensive analysis of early ornithischian evolution found Ferganocephale to be most similar to Chaoyangsauridae in overall morphology but refrained from referring it to this clade based on its lack of denticles and strength of the cingulum. The authors of this analysis instead considered it an indeterminate member of Saphornithischia. [3]

Discovery and naming

The type species, Ferganocephale adenticulatum, was first described by Averianov, Martin, and Bakirov in 2005, and is based solely on teeth from the Balabansai Svita in Fergana Valley, Kyrgyzstan, dating to the Callovian. The holotype is ZIN PH 34/42, an adult unworn tooth. The type species is Ferganocephale adenticulatum. The genus name combines the name of location it was found with the Greek kephale, "head", a reference to the presumed pachycephalosaurian affinities. The specific name means "without tooth serrations". [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<i>Goyocephale</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Goyocephale is an extinct genus of pachycephalosaurian ornithischian that lived in Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous about 76 million years ago. It was first described in 1982 by Altangerel Perle, Teresa Maryańska and Halszka Osmólska for a disarticulated skeleton with most of a skull, part of the forelimb and hindlimb, some of the pelvic girdle, and some vertebrae. Perle et al. named the remains Goyocephale lattimorei, from the Mongolian гоё (goyo), meaning "decorated", and the Ancient Greek κεφαλή (kephale), for head. The species name honours Owen Lattimore.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heterodontosauridae</span> Extinct family of dinosaurs

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<i>Acrotholus</i> Extinct genus of dinosaurs

Acrotholus is an extinct genus of pachycephalosaur dinosaur that lived during the Santonian of the late Cretaceous, in the Milk River Formation of Canada. The type species, A. audeti, was named after Roy Audet allowing access to his ranch leading to the discovery of the species. The discovery of this specimen lead to several new revelations in the fossil records questioning the preservation of small-bodied organisms along with the evolution of early pachycephalosaurs. The iconic cranial dome found on Acrotholus makes it one of the earliest indisputable known members of the pachycephalosaur family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of pachycephalosaur research</span> The progression of pachycephalosaur research over time

This timeline of pachycephalosaur research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the pachycephalosaurs, a group of dome-skulled herbivorous marginocephalian dinosaurs. One of the first major events related to the history of pachycephalosaur research actually regards the discovery of an unrelated dinosaur called Troodon, reported from the western United States by Joseph Leidy in 1856. The type specimen of Troodon was simply an unusual tooth, but the close resemblance between Troodon teeth and pachycephalosaur teeth would cause taxonomic confusion for over a century. This was resolved by Phil Currie in 1987, who realized that Troodon belonged to a group of bird-like carnivores then known as saurornithoidids, but since renamed Troodontidae after Troodon itself. The first scientifically documented true pachycephalosaur remains were discovered in Early Cretaceous rocks from England and named Stenopelix not long after Troodon was named in America. Other notable early finds include the well-known pachycephalosaur Stegoceras validum.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Averianov; et al. (2005). "Pterosaur and dinosaur remains from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Svita in the northern Fergana Depression, Kyrgyzstan (Central Asia)". Palaeontology. 48 (1): 135–155. Bibcode:2005Palgy..48..135A. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2004.00437.x . S2CID   55249438.
  2. Sullivan, Robert M. (2006). "A taxonomic review of the Pachycephalosauridae (Dinosauria: Ornithischia)" (PDF). New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 35 (47): 347–365. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2006-07-09.
  3. Fonseca, André O.; Reid, Iain J.; Venner, Alexander; Duncan, Ruairidh J.; Garcia, Mauricio S.; Müller, Rodrigo T. (2024-12-31). "A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis on early ornithischian evolution". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 22 (1). Bibcode:2024JSPal..2246577F. doi:10.1080/14772019.2024.2346577. ISSN   1477-2019.