Sinankylosaurus

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Sinankylosaurus
Temporal range: Late Cretaceous
~77.3–73.5  Ma
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Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Genus: Sinankylosaurus
Wang et al., 2020
Species:
S. zhuchengensis
Binomial name
Sinankylosaurus zhuchengensis
Wang et al., 2020

Sinankylosaurus (meaning "Chinese fused lizard") is a genus of dinosaur, originally described as an ankylosaur, from the Late Cretaceous Hongtuya Formation of Shandong, China. The genus contains a single species, Sinankylosaurus zhuchengensis, known from a nearly complete right ilium. The describers claim that the discovery of Sinankylosaurus further demonstrates the similarity between dinosaurs of eastern Asia and western North America. [1]

Contents

Discovery and naming

Beginning in 1964, paleontologists conducted large-scale excavations in Zhucheng and discovered an abundant source of fossils; notably dinosaur fossils. [2]

ZJZ-183, the holotype specimen, was discovered with the Zhuchengtyrannus holotype in the Upper Cretaceous Wangshi Group (specifically the Hongtuya Formation [1] ) in Zhucheng, Shandong Province, China around 2010. [3] The fossil was prepared during the following years and was later described in 2020. [1]

Description

Because it is only known from an ilium, the external appearance of Sinankylosaurus remains unknown. Its describers noted similarities with other ankylosaur ilia, but a 2021 study did not consider it an ankylosaur and called it a nomen dubium. [4]

Paleoecology

Sinankylosaurus is known from the Hongtuya Formation, part of the Wangshi Group of southern China. Other animals from this group include Sinoceratops , a ceratopsian, [5] Shantungosaurus , a very common hadrosaurid to which most of the material has been assigned, [6] Zhuchengtyrannus , an Asian tyrannosaurid related to Tarbosaurus , [7] Zhuchengceratops , an Asian leptoceratopsid, [8] and material tentatively assigned to Tyrannosaurus .

Related Research Articles

<i>Shantungosaurus</i> Genus of ornithopod dinosaurs

Shantungosaurus is a genus of very large saurolophine hadrosaurid dinosaur found in the Late Cretaceous Wangshi Group of the Shandong Peninsula in China, containing a single species, Shantungosaurus giganteus. The stratigraphic interval of Shantungosaurus ranges from the top of the Xingezhuang Formation to the middle of the Hongtuya Formation, middle to late Campanian in age. Shantungosaurus is so far the largest hadrosauroid taxon in the world, with size estimates around 15–17 metres (49–56 ft) in length and 13–16 metric tons in body mass.

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

Micropachycephalosaurus is an extinct genus of basal marginocephalian dinosaur containing only the type species, Micropachycephalosaurus hongtuyanensis. It lived in China during the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) and was found in the Jiangjunding Formation.

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

Tanius is a genus of hadrosauroid dinosaur. It lived in the Late Cretaceous of China. The type species, named and described in 1929 by Carl Wiman, is Tanius sinensis. The generic name honours the Chinese paleontologist Tan Xichou. The specific epithet refers to China. In 2010 Gregory S. Paul estimated the length of Tanius at 7 metres (23 ft) and its weight at 2 metric tons.

<i>Gobisaurus</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Gobisaurus is an extinct genus of herbivorous basal ankylosaurid ankylosaur from the Upper Cretaceous of China. The genus is monotypic, containing only the species Gobisaurus domoculus.

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

Liaoningosaurus is an unusual genus of basal ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Liaoning Province, China that lived during the Early Cretaceous in what is now the Yixian and Jiufotang Formation. The type and only species, Liaoningosaurus paradoxus, is known from more than 20 specimens, with some representing juveniles. It was named in 2001 by Xu, Wang and You.

Shanxia is a monospecific genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Shanxi Province that lived during the Late Cretaceous in what is now the Huiquanpu Formation. Shanxia may possibly represent a junior synonym of Tianzhenosaurus, an ankylosaurine also known from the Huiquanpu Formation of China.

Fusuisaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China. Fragmentary postcranial remains of this animal have been discovered in 2001 in the Napai Formation of Guangxi, China and consist of the left ilium, left pubis, anterior caudals, most of the dorsal ribs and distal end of the left femur. This sauropod has been described as a basal titanosauriform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrannosaurinae</span> Extinct subfamily of dinosaurs

Tyrannosaurinae is one of the two extinct subfamilies of Tyrannosauridae, a family of coelurosaurian theropods that consists of at least three tribes and several genera. All fossils of these genera have been found in the Late Cretaceous deposits of western North America and east Asia. Compared to the related subfamily Albertosaurinae, tyrannosaurines overall are more robust and larger though the alioramins were gracile by comparison. This subfamily also includes the oldest known tyrannosaurid genus Lythronax as well as the youngest and most famous member of the group, Tyrannosaurus rex. There were at least 30 different species of tyrannosaurines.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wangshi Group</span>

The Wangshi Group is a geological Group in Shandong, China whose strata date back to the Coniacian to Campanian stages of the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the group.

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

Sinoceratops is an extinct genus of ceratopsian dinosaur that lived from 73.5 to 66 million years ago during the latter part of the Cretaceous Period in what is now Shandong province in China. It was named in 2010 by Xu Xing et al. for three skulls from Zhucheng, China. The name of its type species Sinoceratops zhuchengensis means "Chinese horned face from Zhucheng", after the location of its discovery.

<i>Zhuchengceratops</i> Extinct genus of reptiles

Zhuchengceratops is a genus of extinct leptoceratopsid ceratopsian that lived during the Upper Cretaceous of modern-day China. It was first described in 2010, by Xu et al., who created the binomial Zhuchengceratops inexpectus. The name is derived from the location of Zhucheng, the Latinized-Greek ceratops, or "horned face", and the unexpected articulated nature of the holotype. The skeleton was found in the Wangshi Group, which is of Late Cretaceous age, and most fossils are only disarticulated bones of Shantungosaurus.

<i>Zhuchengtyrannus</i> Tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur genus from Late Cretaceous period

Zhuchengtyrannus is a genus of tyrannosaurid theropod dinosaur known from the Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous of Shandong Province, China. It belongs to the subfamily Tyrannosaurinae, and contains a single species, Zhuchengtyrannus magnus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of ankylosaur research</span>

This timeline of ankylosaur research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the ankylosaurs, quadrupedal herbivorous dinosaurs who were protected by a covering bony plates and spikes and sometimes by a clubbed tail. Although formally trained scientists did not begin documenting ankylosaur fossils until the early 19th century, Native Americans had a long history of contact with these remains, which were generally interpreted through a mythological lens. The Delaware people have stories about smoking the bones of ancient monsters in a magic ritual to have wishes granted and ankylosaur fossils are among the local fossils that may have been used like this. The Native Americans of the modern southwestern United States tell stories about an armored monster named Yeitso that may have been influenced by local ankylosaur fossils. Likewise, ankylosaur remains are among the dinosaur bones found along the Red Deer River of Alberta, Canada where the Piegan people believe that the Grandfather of the Buffalo once lived.

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

Ischioceratops is an extinct genus of small herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur that lived approximately 69 million years ago during the latter part of the Cretaceous Period in what is now China.

Zhuchengtitan is a genus of titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Shandong, China. It contains a single species, Z. zangjiazhuangensis, named by Mo Jinyou and colleagues in 2017 from a single humerus. Zhuchengtitan can be identified by the extreme width of the top end of its humerus, as well as the expansion of the deltopectoral crest on its humerus; both of these characteristics indicate that it was likely closely related to Opisthocoelicaudia. However, it differs from the latter by the flatter bottom articulating surface of its humerus. Zhuchengtitan lived in a floodplain environment alongside Shantungosaurus, Zhuchengtyrannus, and Sinoceratops.

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

Jinyunpelta is a genus of herbivorous ankylosaurine thyreophoran dinosaur from the Cretaceous Liangtoutang Formation of Jinyun County, Zhejiang, China; it has one species, the type species J. sinensis. This species is the basalmost ankylosaur known to have had a proper tail club.

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

Anomalipes zhaoi is an extinct caenagnathid dinosaur discovered in China. It lived during the Campanian-aged Wangshi Group in China. It is the only species in the genus Anomalipes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wang, K. B.; Zhang, Y. X.; Chen, J.; Chen, S. Q.; Wang, P. Y. (2020). "A new ankylosaurian from the Late Cretaceous strata of Zhucheng, Shandong Province". Geological Bulletin of China (in Chinese). 39 (7): 958–962.
  2. Wangshi Group in the Paleobiology Database
  3. "Shandong discovers new dinosaur with spikes!". yqqlm. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.[ dead link ]
  4. Wenjie Zheng; Masateru Shibata; Chun-Chi Lao; Soki Hattori; Dongchun Jin; Changzhu Jin; Xing Xu (2021). "First definitive ankylosaurian dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Jilin Province, northeastern China". Cretaceous Research. 127 (104953): 104953. Bibcode:2021CrRes.12704953Z. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2021.104953.
  5. Xu, X., Wang, K., Zhao, X. & Li, D. (2010). "First ceratopsid dinosaur from China and its biogeographical implications". Chinese Science Bulletin. 55 (16): 1631–1635. Bibcode:2010ChSBu..55.1631X. doi:10.1007/s11434-009-3614-5. S2CID   128972108.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. Hu, C.C. (1973). "[A new hadrosaur from the Cretaceous of Chucheng, Shantung]". Acta Geologica Sinica. 2: 179–206.
  7. Hone, D. W. E.; Wang, K.; Sullivan, C.; Zhao, X.; Chen, S.; Li, D.; Ji, S.; Ji, Q.; Xu, X. (2011). "A new, large tyrannosaurine theropod from the Upper Cretaceous of China". Cretaceous Research. 32 (4): 495–503. Bibcode:2011CrRes..32..495H. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2011.03.005.
  8. Xing Xu; Kebai Wang; Xijin Zhao; Corwin Sullivan; Shuqing Chen (2010). "A New Leptoceratopsid (Ornithischia: Ceratopsia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Shandong, China and Its Implications for Neoceratopsian Evolution". PLOS ONE. 5 (11): e13835. Bibcode:2010PLoSO...513835X. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0013835 . PMC   2973951 . PMID   21079798.