A new genus and species of ankylosaurid dinosaur have been identified from two specimens discovered in southeastern China.
type specimen of Datai Inliangis Rebuilt on site. The head, neck, and thorax of the specimen were discovered and extracted from a single block. Image credit: Xing other., doi: 10.18435/vamp29396.
named Datai Inliangisthe newly discovered dinosaur species roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period, about 96 million to 90 million years ago.
ancient beast was a member strongosaursa group of club-tailed armored dinosaurs that reached a peak of diversity in the latest Cretaceous period.
“Ankylosaurids are iconic armored dinosaurs that characterized the terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Asia and Laramidia (western North America) during the Late Cretaceous period,” said a paleontologist from the China University of Geosciences. Rida Singh And my colleagues.
“The earliest members of this clade are known from the Early Late Cretaceous of Asia, but there is little consensus on how they relate to anatomically derived and chronologically younger forms. are not obtained.”
“In southeastern China, Cretaceous red sand beds extend into a basin from Zhejiang to Guangdong.”
“However, horizons corresponding to the early Late Cretaceous remain poorly sampled.”
Two well-preserved immature skeletons Datai Inliangis It was collected from the Zhoutian Formation in southeastern China.
The specimens were found combined, with one head placed on top of the other, representing slightly different stages of the ontogeny of the skeleton.
“This is the first definitive vertebrate skeleton, let alone an armored dinosaur skeleton, excavated from the Ganzhou Formation,” the paleontologists said.
According to the authors: Datai Inliangis It is characterized by having two cheekbones/square zygomatic angle.
“The primary horn develops in the posteroventral horn of the skull and projects posterolaterally,” the researchers explained.
“There is a small attached horn just in front of this that hides the jaw joint when viewed from the side.”
“Morphologically, it is intermediate to older Asian ankylosaurids (e.g. crichton pelta and Giyumperta) and derived post-Cenomanian ankylosaurines (e.g. pinacosaurus),” they added.
“Phylogenetic analyzes broadly support this assessment.”
“The new species will either be placed in the Asian ankylosaurine subfamily, which is close to the lineage of the derived taxon, or it will form a sister lineage.” pinacosaurus”
“Based on these insights, Datai This genus represents an important addition to the Early Late Cretaceous vertebrate fauna of southeastern China and highlights the region's future potential for a better understanding of the origins and early evolution of ankylosaurids. ”
of discovery is reported in Vertebrate anatomy, morphology, and paleontology.
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L. Shin other. 2024. A new armored dinosaur with double cheek horns that lived in the early Late Cretaceous of southeastern China. Vertebrate anatomy, morphology, and paleontology 11; doi: 10.18435/vamp29396
Source: www.sci.news
