A New Basal Titanosaur (Dinosauria: Sauropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of China

A new dinosaur of Early Cretaceous age was recently discovered from the Mazongshan area of northwestern Gansu Province, China. The new dinosaur represents a new genus and species of Sauropoda, and is among the most basal members of Titanosauria. Its finding also suggests that titanosaurs might have originated in Asia no later than the Early Cretaceous.

A New Protoceratopsid (Dinosauria: Neoceratopsia) from the Late Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China

An almost complete skull, which was collected from the Upper Cretaceous of the Bayan Mandahu area in Inner Mongolia, China by the Sino-Canadian Dinosaur Project, is described and assigned to a new genus of protoceratopsid dinosaur, Magnirostris dodsoni gen. et sp. nov. This new taxon is distinguished from other protoceratopsids by the robust rostral bone and the existence of incipient orbital horn cores. The existence of an additional antorbital fenestra indicates a close relationship between Magnirostris and Bagaceratops.

The First Stegosaur (Dinosauria, Ornithischia) from the Upper Jurassic Shishugou Formation of Xinjiang, China

A new stegosaur species, Jiangjunosaurusjunggarensis, gen. et sp. nov., is erected based on a specimen collected from the Upper Jurassic upper section of the Shishugou Formation in the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China. It represents the first stegosaur from the Jurassic of Xinjiang and increases the diversity of the dinosaur fauna in the Shishugou Formation. The new genus is characterized by symmetrical and proportionally wide tooth crowns, a sub-rectangular axial neural spine seen in lateral view, and large openings on the lateral surfaces of the cervical centra. A preliminary character analysis suggests that this new taxon is more derived than the Middle Jurassic stegosaur Huayangosaurus but more primitive than most other known stegosaur species.

An Adult Specimen of Hongshanosaurus houi (Dinosauria:Psittacosauridae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Liaoning Province, China

A new specimen consisting of a complete skull and lower jaw was discovered from the Lujiatun bed of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in the Lujiatun site, Beipiao, western Liaoning Province. It represents an adult specimen of Hongshanosaurus houi. Comparative studies show that Hongshanosaurus is distinguishable from its sister taxon Psittacosaurus by having the preorbital portion about half of the basal skull length, and the elliptical external naris, orbit, and a lower temporal fenestra oriented caudodorsally.

A New Genus of Psittacosauridae (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) and the Origin and Early Evolution of Marginocephalian Dinosaurs

An almost complete juvenile dinosaur skull with lower jaw was discovered fromthe Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Beipiao, Liaoning Province, China. Here, the specimen isdescribed and a cladistic analysis is performed in order to find its phylogenetic relationships. Theresult shows that this specimen represents a new genus of Psittacosauridae, Hongshanosaurus houi,gen. et sp. nov., and confirms the monophyletic status for Ceratopsia and Marginocephalia. However,Heterodontosaurus is found to be the sister taxon to Marginocephalia, rather than a basalOrnithopoda.

A Large Therizinosauroid(Dinosauria:Theropoda) from the Early Cretaceous of Northwestern China

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 Gausu 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.

A New Specimen of Liaoceratops yanzigouensis(Dinosauria:Neoceratopsia)from the Early Cretaceous of Liaoning Province,China

A new specimen of basal neoceratopsian dinosaur Liaoceratops yanzigouensis is described. The specimen comes from the Lujiatun Bed of the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Beipiao City of western Liaoning Province, and is represented by a very well preserved three-dimensional partial skull and mandible. It is also the smallest among the three specimens of L. yanzigouensis, and several features in the new specimen, such as the short preorbital length and the round rostroventral orbital rim, can be ontogenetically-related. The superb exposure of the palatal complex may be caused by the removing of its brain by a small predator in the contemporary Jehol Biota.

刘家峡黄河巨龙:中国甘肃兰州盆地下白垩统河口群一新蜥脚类恐龙化石

本文记述了2004年发现于甘肃兰州盆地下白垩统河口群一个化石点的蜥脚类恐龙化石。新标本的荐椎独特,神经脊非常低并在其顶端横向扩展,代表蜥脚类恐龙一新属种刘家峡黄河巨龙。分支系统分析发现黄河巨龙为一原始巨龙型类蜥脚类。

A Titanosaurian Sauropod Dinosaur with Opisthocoelous Caudal Vertebrae from the Early Late Cretaceous of Liaoning Province, China

We describe a new titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur, Borealosaurus wimani gen. et sp. nov., based on a distinctive mid-distal caudal vertebra from the early Late Cretaceous Sunjiawan Formation exposed in the Shuangmiao village of Beipiao in Liaoning, China. We provisionally refer an isolated tooth crown, a middle caudal vertebra, and a right humerus from the same locality and horizon to this taxon. Borealosaurus is distinguished from other sauropods in its possession of opisthocoelous mid-distal caudal vertebrae. The occurrence of opisthocoelous caudals in Borealosaurus and the Mongolian sauropod Opisthocoelicaudia raises the possibility that these taxa pertain to an as-yet unrecognized titanosaurian subclade endemic to the Cretaceous Asia.

On a New Genus of Basal Neoceratopsian Dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Gansu Province, China

A new genus and species of basal neoceratopsian dinosaur, Auroraceratops rugosus, is reported based on material from the Early Cretaceous Xinminpu Group in the Gongpoquan Basin of Gansu Province, China. Auroraceratops is represented by a nearly complete skull and low jaws, and different greatly from all other neoceratopsians by its considerable breadth of the nasals, fungi form expansion of the dorsal end of the lacrimal, highly developed rugosity of the jugal, dentary and surangular, and inflated, striated premaxillary teeth. The finding of Auroraceratops adds diversity and helps elucidate the evolution of basal neoceratopsian dinosaurs.

Dongbeititan dongi,the First Sauropod Dinosaur from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group of Western Liaoning Province,China

We herein describe a partial postcranial skeleton of a sauropod dinosaur recovered from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group in the Beipiao area of western Liaoning Province, northeastern China. A suite of features it possesses, including the camellate internal structure of its presacral elements, the existence of pneumatocoels on the proximal ends of the dorsal ribs, and especially the medially deflected proximal portion of the femur, definitively establish the titanosauriform affinities of the specimen. It differs from other titanosauriforms in having a craniocaudally elongate coracoid with a squared cranioventral extreme and a long, smooth, and slightly convex acetabular edge of the pubis. It represents a new taxon, Dongbeititan dongi gen. et sp. nov. Comparative studies suggest that Dongbeititan is a basal titanosauriform, more derived than Euhelopus, Fusuisaurus, and Huanghetitan, but less derived than Gobititan and Jiutaisaurus. Dongbeititan represents the first sauropod dinosaur reported from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group of western Liaoning Province.

A New Hadrosauroid Dinosaur from the Mid-Cretaceous of Liaoning, China

A new hadrosauroid dinosaur, Shuangmiaosaurus gilmorei gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a complete left maxilla with articulated premaxilla and lacrimal fragments, and a complete left dentary from the mid-Cretaceous Sunjiawan Formation of Beipiao, Liaoning, northeastern China. Cladistic analysis shows that Shuangmiaosaurus is a basal hadrosauroid, and comprises the sister taxon to Hadrosauridae. In both Shuangmiaosaurus and Hadrosauridae, the maxilla-jugal suture is butt-jointed, rather than finger-in-recess articulation as in other basal hadrosauroids. However, Shuangmiaosaurus does not possess such hadrosaurid synapomorphies as the diamond-shaped maxillary crowns with reduced primary ridges and reduced marginal denticles.

A New Basal Neoceratopsian Dinosaur from the Middle Cretaceous of Jilin Province,China

A new basal neoceratopsian dinosaur, Helioceratops brachygnathus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Quantou Formation （late Early Cretaceous or early Late Cretaceous） in the Liufangzi locality （Jilin province, China）. Helioceratops differs from other basal neoceratopsians with its deep dentary ramus, its steeply-inclined ventral predentary facet, its heterogeneous dentary crowns, and by the denticles and secondary ridges asymmetrically distributed on either side of the primary ridge on its dentary teeth. Along with Auroraceratops and Yamaceratops, Helioceratops represents one of the most derived non-coronosaurian neoceratopsians. The palaeogeographical distribution of basal neoceratopsians appears limited to northern China and southern Mongolia in the current state of our knowledge. It is therefore probable that this region constituted the birthplace for more advanced, Late Cretaceous Coronosanria.

四川自贡大山铺蜀龙动物群简报——Ⅱ.鸟脚类

中国四川鸟脚亚目(Ornithopoda)的进化始于三叠纪晚期,典型的代表是异齿龙类(Heterodontosaurids),最早出现于阿根廷的伊绍瓜拉斯层(Ischigualasto)。传统的观点认为鸟脚亚目起源于冈瓦纳大陆。1965年,Simmons报道了我国云南禄丰产的一小型异齿龙——大地龙(Tatisaurus)是北方大陆上首次记录。这一发现对鸟脚类的起源和分布的研究有着重要的意义。目前在鸟脚类的进化系列中。

Model-Based Identification of Mechanical Characteristics of Sinosaurus(Theropoda) Crests

The paired cranial crests of Sinosaurus （Theropoda） have been hypothesized as too weak to resist mechanical loads during combat. Finite element analysis （FEA） is used to test this hypothesis, first with geometry obtained through direct laser scanning of a well-preserved fossil of the crest, and then with two conceptual FE models of both crests analyzing the structure-deformation effects of fenestration. In the original fossil model, under direct loading on the dorsal faces of the crest, we found that the areas surrounding cavities on the crest experience shear stress that implies a high chance of material failure - the fracture of bone. In the conceptual model, a series of computational studies were conducted with varying loading directions. One simulation found that the shear stress and strain in the material around the cavity presented more deformation compared with the conceptual model without the cavities, and under this morphologically realistic scenario the loading conditions would result in local bone fractures. These model-based computational results indicate that the crest could not resist high loads, because it could not effectively decentralize the loading stress. Future investigations need to focus on more comprehensive computational experiments with more conditions, e.g. dynamical loading conditions, and direct palaeontological evidence.

Late Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs from the James Ross Basin,Antarctica:description of new material,updated synthesis,biostratigraphy,and paleobiogeography

Although the fossil record of non-avian dinosaurs from the Cretaceous of Antarctica is the poorest of any continent,fossils representing at least five major taxonomic groups(Ankylosauria,early-diverging Ornithopoda,Hadrosauridae,Titanosauria,and Theropoda)have been recovered.All come from Upper Cretaceous(Coniacian–Maastrichtian)marine and nearshore deposits belonging to the Gustav and Marambio groups of the James Ross Basin at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.The majority of these finds have come from the Campanian–Maastrichtian Snow Hill Island and López de Bertodano formations of James Ross and Vega islands.Given the rarity of Antarctic Cretaceous non-avian dinosaurs,discoveries of any fossils of these archosaurs,no matter how meager,are of significance.Here we describe fragmentary new ornithischian(ankylosaur and ornithopod)material from the upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian Cape Lamb Member of the Snow Hill Island Formation and the Maastrichtian Sandwich Bluff Member of the López de Bertodano Formation.One of these specimens is considered to probably pertain to the holotypic individual of the early-diverging ornithopod Morrosaurus antarcticus.We also provide an up-to-date synthesis of the Late Cretaceous non-avian dinosaur record of the James Ross Basin and analyze the biostratigraphic occurrences of the various finds,demonstrating that most(including all named taxa and all reasonably complete skeletons discovered to date)occur within a relatively condensed temporal interval of the late Campanian to early Maastrichtian.Most or all James Ross Basin dinosaurs share close affinities with penecontemporaneous taxa from Patagonia,indicating that at least some continental vertebrates could disperse between southern South America and Antarctica during the final stages of the Mesozoic.

Discovery of a New Middle Jurassic Dinosaur Site in Sichuan,China

The Sichuan Basin,also known as the‘Red Basin’,is famous for its abundance of Mesozoic dinosaur fossils,especially in the Zigong area during the Jurassic era;the Middle Jurassic Shunosaurus and the Late Jurassic Mamenchisaurus faunal assemblages are the most representative.The Qinglongshan dinosaur fossil site is located in Fuxing,to the northwest of Rong County,Zigong City.This new site is situated within the Middle Jurassic Xiashaximiao Formation,and geologically is roughly equivalent to the well-known Dashanpu dinosaur fossil site.More than 600 dinosaur fossils were found concentrated in the excavation area,including teeth;cervical,dorsal and caudal vertebrae;and various parts of appendicular skeletons.This fossil site is also most significant as it provides new information on non-avian dinosaur life during the poorly understood Middle Jurassic.

中国西北马鬃山地区早白垩世黎明角龙属(恐龙:新角龙类)一未定种(英文)

记述了基干新角龙类恐龙黎明角龙属一未定种。标本发现于中国西北马鬃山地区俞井子盆地下白垩统新民堡群,包括一关联的具有头骨带下颌的部分骨架。未定种与模式种(皱褶种)相比具有较长的吻部,较窄的鼻骨及其他一些特征。该未定种的发现使黎明角龙属的地理分布范围向南东延伸了约100km,也使马鬃山地区的早白垩世成为世界上惟一保存大量基干新角龙类的区域。

长掌义县龙(兽脚类:恐龙)及其在手盗龙类进化和热河动物群生态学研究中的意义(英文)

重新研究了产于辽西义县组下部的带羽毛小型兽脚类恐龙长掌义县龙(Yixianosaurus longimanus) 的不完整骨架。系统发育分析得出义县龙属于手盗龙类基干类群,与阿尔瓦雷斯龙( Alvarezsaurus) 、镰刀龙类、除阿尔瓦雷斯龙之外的其他阿尔瓦雷斯龙类以及由窃蛋龙类和副鸟龙类等进步手盗龙类组成的一个类群形成多分支状态。义县龙既有原始特征,如臂指数低,第三指强壮; 也有进步特征,如乌喙骨近长方形,表明在手盗龙类当中,前肢演化呈现出比以前认为的更加复杂的镶嵌现象。强壮的前肢骨骼以及厚重、弯曲而尖利的手爪表明义县龙是捕食者,尽管这一认识尚待该属种更完整化石的发现来证实。义县龙在手盗龙类系统发育中的基部位置暗示,在虚骨龙类演化的这一节点上,前肢形态的变异范围更大。在许多方面,义县龙强壮的前肢和过度增大的弯曲爪子与长臂猎龙(Tanycolagreus) 和虚骨龙(Coelurus) 的相似,可能代表了这些属种与基干镰刀龙类和窃蛋龙类之间的过渡形态。义县龙保存了大的片状体羽,表明这些皮肤衍生物在虚骨龙类中的起源可能比以前报道的要早。最后,强壮而伸长的前肢暗示了其生态功能与根据同一区域的其他小型兽脚类推测的不同,支持了热河生物群的小型非鸟兽脚类中存在小生境划分的观点。

The first dinosaur tracksite from Xinjiang, NW China (Middle Jurassic Sanjianfang Formation, Turpan Basin)──a preliminary report

A new dinosaur tracksite was discovered in a steeply inclined sandstone layer of the Middle Jurassic Sanjianfang Formation in the Shanshan area of the Turpan Basin. The site is the first record of dinosaur footprints from Xinjiang Province in northwestern China. More than 150 tridactyl theropod dinosaur footprints are preserved as positive hyporeliefs on the lower bedding plane of a fine-grained sandstone body. Most of the footprints are isolated and appear to be randomly distributed. Some show well defined phalangeal pads, heels and rarely indistinct impressions of the distal part of the metatarsus. Two distinct morphotypes are present: a larger type with relatively broad pads shows similarities to Changpeipus and Megalosauripus, and a slightly smaller, slender and gracile type which is similar to Grallator, Eubrontes and Anchisauripus. In both morphotypes, digit III is the longest with a length between 11.4 and 33.6 cm. A single imprint shows prominent scratches, probably formed during slipping of the track maker.