A new compsognathid theropod dinosaur from the oldest assemblage of the Jehol Biota in the Lower Cretaceous Huajiying Formation, northeastern China (original) (raw)
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A large therizinosauroid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of Northwestern China
Acta Geologica Sinica, 2007
We herein describe an associated partial postcranial skeleton of a theropod dinosaur discovered in the Lower Cretaceous Xinminpu Group of the Yujingzi Basin, in the Jiuquan area of Gansu Province, northwestern China. Features of its humerus, such as strongly expanded proximal and distal ends, a well developed medial tuberosity, distal condyles expressed on the humeral cranial surface, and a hypertrophied entepicondyle, definitively establish the therizinosauroid affinities of the specimen. It differs from other therizinosauroids in having a shallow, poorly demarcated glenoid fossa with a prominent rounded and striated tumescence on the dorsomedial surface of its scapular portion, and a pubis with a strongly concave cranial margin. It represents a new taxon, Suzhousaurus megatherioides gen. et sp. nov. Cladistic analysis recovers Suzhousaurus as the sister taxon of Nothronychus mckinleyi from the mid-Cretaceous of western North America; together, they are basal members of the Therizinosauroidea, more derived than the Early Cretaceous Falcarius and Beipiaosaurus but less derived than Alxasaurus and the Therizinosauridae. Along with “Nanshiungosaurus” bohlini from possibly coeval beds in the Mazongshan area of northern-most Gansu, Suzhousaurus represents one of the largest-known Early Cretaceous therizinosauroids, demonstrating that this clade attained considerable body size early in its evolutionary history.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2010
We describe a new coelurosaurian theropod, Zuolong salleei, gen. et sp. nov., from exposures of the upper part of the Shishugou Formation at the Wucaiwan locality, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. Zuolong has a large, inclined quadrate foramen that extends onto the medial surface of the quadratojugal, an unusually large fovea capitis on the femoral head, and an apomorphically large distal condyle of metatarsal III with a medially projecting flange on the extensor surface. Radiometric dating of the Shishugou Formation constrains the age of the specimen to the beginning of the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian). A cladistic analysis of Zuolong salleei in a broadly sampled theropod data matrix recovers it as a basal coelurosaur. These data make Zuolong one of the oldest coelurosaur fossils yet known that preserves both cranial and postcranial bones.
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 2005
The type material of the small theropod dinosaurs Tugulusaurus faciles and Phaedrolosaurus ilikensis from the Lower Cretaceous (?Valanginian–Albian) Lianmugin Formation of Xinjiang, north-western China, is reviewed. Although based on an incomplete and rather poorly preserved specimen, Tugulusaurus can be shown to be valid on the basis of strongly broadened caudal vertebrae with an anteriorly placed neural arch and a short and highly asymmetrical metacarpal I. Phaedrolosaurus, based on an isolated tooth, must be considered a nomen dubium. A partial hind limb originally referred to this taxon can be demonstrated to be a distinct taxon of theropod on the basis of a posteriorly expanded fibular condyle on the proximal tibia and a longitudinal groove on the anterior side of the proximal end of the fibula. It is made the type of a new taxon, Xinjiangovenator parvus gen. et sp. nov. Whereas Tugulusaurus is the most basal coelurosaur known, Xinjiangovenator represents a maniraptoran.