Liaoningotitan

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Liaoningotitan
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, Barremian
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade:† Sauropodomorpha
Clade:† Sauropoda
Clade:† Macronaria
Family:† Euhelopodidae
Genus:† Liaoningotitan
Zhou et al., 2018
Species:
†L. sinensis
Binomial name
†Liaoningotitan sinensis
Zhou et al., 2018

Liaoningotitan (meaning "Liaoning giant") is a genus of titanosauriform sauropod from the Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Yixian Formation in Liaoning, China. A redescription of the holotype proposed affinities of Liaoningotitan with the Euhelopodidae.

Contents

Description

Liaoningotitan is a medium-sized sauropod, with an estimated body length of 10 metres (33 ft) and shoulder height of 2 metres (6.6 ft) based on comparisons with the closely related Euhelopus . [1] Distinguishing features of Liaoningotitan include a ventral margin of the maxilla that is convex, an upper tooth row that is short and anteriorly positioned; an anterior extension of the jugal that nearly reaches the level of the anterior margin of the antorbital fenestra; a basally constricted quadrate wing of the pterygoid; imbricated upper teeth, with narrow spatulate crowns that are D-shaped in cross section, and no labial grooves or denticles; nine reduced and un-imbricated lower teeth; asymmetric lower tooth crowns which are elliptical-like in cross section, with lingual grooves and ridges and a lingually bulbous basal crown; a proximal expansion of the humerus that is about 54.9% the length of the humerus; and an ilium with a pointed preacetabular process. [2]

Classification

Zhou et al. (2018) recovered Liaoningotitan as a somphospondylan titanosauriform more derived than Euhelopus . [2] In 2022, Mo et al. found Liaoningotitan to be an unstable taxon that may be closely related to Diamantinasaurus and Baotianmansaurus . [3] In a 2025 redescription of the holotype specimen, Bingqing Shan proposed that Liaoningotitan was a member of the Euhelopodidae, as the sister taxon to Yongjinglong . These results are displayed in the cladogram below: [1]

Titanosauriformes

Paleoecology

Liaoningotitan is one of three titanosauriforms from the Yixian Formation of Liaoning, the others being Dongbeititan and Ruixinia . [3] These forms co-existed with feathered dinosaurs in the Early Cretaceous lacustrine environment of present-day Liaoning. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 Shan, Bingqing (2025-03-11). "The re-description of Liaoningotitan sinensis Zhou et al., 2018". PeerJ. 13: 1–29. doi: 10.7717/peerj.19154 . ISSN   2167-8359. PMC   11908444 .
  2. 1 2 3 Zhou, C.-F.; Wu, W.-H.; Sekiya, T.; Dong, Z.-M. (2018). "A new Titanosauriformes dinosaur from Jehol Biota of western Liaoning, China". Global Geology. 37 (2): 327–333. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-5589.2018.02.001.
  3. 1 2 Mo, Jinyou; Ma, Feimin; Yu, Yilun; Xu, Xing (2022-12-09). "A new titanosauriform sauropod with an unusual tail from the Lower Cretaceous of northeastern China" . Cretaceous Research. 144 105449. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2022.105449. ISSN   0195-6671. S2CID   254524890.
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