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Sauropoda
Sauropoda (), whose members are known as sauropods (; from '' sauro-'' + '' -pod'', 'lizard-footed'), is a clade of saurischian ('lizard-hipped') dinosaurs. Sauropods had very long necks, long tails, small heads (relative to the rest of their body), and four thick, pillar-like legs. They are notable for the enormous sizes attained by some species, and the group includes the largest animals to have ever lived on land. Well-known genera include ''Brachiosaurus'', ''Diplodocus'', ''Apatosaurus'' and ''Brontosaurus''. The oldest known unequivocal sauropod dinosaurs are known from the Early Jurassic. ''Isanosaurus'' and ''Antetonitrus'' were originally described as Triassic sauropods, but their age, and in the case of ''Antetonitrus'' also its sauropod status, were subsequently questioned. Sauropod-like sauropodomorph tracks from the Fleming Fjord Formation (Greenland) might, however, indicate the occurrence of the group in the Late Triassic. By the Late Jurassic (150 million yea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gravisauria
Gravisauria is a clade of sauropod dinosaurs consisting of some genera, Vulcanodontidae and Eusauropoda.Allain, R. and Aquesbi, N. (2008). "Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of ''Tazoudasaurus naimi'' (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Early Jurassic of Morocco." ''Geodiversitas'', 30(2): 345-424. Classification The clade Gravisauria was appointed by the French paleontologist Ronan Allain and Moroccan paleontologist Najat Aquesbi in 2008 when a cladistic analysis of the dinosaur found by Allain, ''Tazoudasaurus'', as the outcome was that the family Vulcanodontidae. The group includes ''Tazoudasaurus'' and ''Vulcanodon'', and the sister taxon Eusauropoda, but also certain species such as ''Antetonitrus'', ''Gongxianosaurus'' and ''Isanosaurus'' that do not belong in Vulcanodontidae but to an even more basic position occupied in Sauropoda. It made sense to have Sauropoda compared to this, more derived group that included Vulcanodontidae and Eusauropoda in a definition: Gra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amygdalodon
''Amygdalodon'' (; "almond tooth" for its almond shaped teeth) was a genus of basal sauropod from the Middle Jurassic of Argentina. The type species is ''Amygdalodon patagonicus''. Fossils of ''Amygdalodon'' have been found in the Toarcian Cerro Carnerero Formation of the Jurassic (about 180-172 million years ago). Very little is known about it, but it is one of the few Jurassic dinosaurs from South America found thus far. Discovery The holotype (MLP 46-VIII-21-1) consists of some vertebrae, ribs, four complete and three partial teeth, and a partial pelvis and shoulder-blade, of which was discovered in 1936. The type species, ''Amygdalodon patagonicus'', was described by Cabrera in Argentina in 1947.A. Cabrera. 1947. Un saurópodo nuevo del Jurásico de Patagonia. Instituto del Museo de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata, ''Notas del Museo de La Plata, Paleontología'' 12(95):1–17 Until 1936 sauropod fossils from Argentina were completely unknown then, prompted by Piatnitzky' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is the subject of active research. They became the dominant terrestrial vertebrates after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event 201.3 mya; their dominance continued throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The fossil record shows that birds are feathered dinosaurs, having evolved from earlier theropods during the Late Jurassic epoch, and are the only dinosaur lineage known to have survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event approximately 66 mya. Dinosaurs can therefore be divided into avian dinosaurs—birds—and the extinct non-avian dinosaurs, which are all dinosaurs other than birds. Dinosaurs are varied from taxonomic, morphological and ecological standpoints. Birds, at over 10,700 living species, are among ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brachiosaurus
''Brachiosaurus'' () is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Jurassic, about 154to 150million years ago. It was first described by American paleontologist Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in the Colorado River valley in western Colorado, United States. Riggs named the dinosaur ''Brachiosaurus altithorax''; the generic name is Greek for "arm lizard", in reference to its proportionately long arms, and the specific name means "deep chest". ''Brachiosaurus'' is estimated to have been between 18 and 22 meters (59 and 72ft) long; body mass estimates of the subadult holotype specimen range from 28.3 to 46.9 metric tons (31.2 and 51.7 short tons). It had a disproportionately long neck, small skull, and large overall size, all of which are typical for sauropods. Atypically, ''Brachiosaurus'' had longer forelimbs than hindlimbs, which resulted in a steeply inclined trunk, and a proportionally shorter tail. ''Brachiosaurus'' is the name ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinshakiangosaurus
''Chinshakiangosaurus'' (JIN-shah-jiahng-uh-SOR-us, meaning "Chinshakiang lizard") is a genus of dinosaur and probably one of the most basal sauropods known. The only species, ''Chinshakiangosaurus chunghoensis'', is known from a fragmentary skeleton found in Lower Jurassic rocks in China. ''Chinshakiangosaurus'' is one of the few basal sauropods with preserved skull bones and therefore important for the understanding of the early evolution of this group. It shows that early sauropods may have possessed fleshy cheeks. Description and feeding Like all sauropods, it was a large, quadrupedal herbivore with long neck and tail. The body length of the only specimen is estimated at 12 to 13 meters. The remains consists of the dentary (the tooth bearing bone of the mandible) including teeth as well as several parts of the postcranium. By now, only the dentary and the teeth were studied extensively; the remaining skeleton still awaits a proper description. The dentary was curved in dor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Early Jurassic
The Early Jurassic Epoch (geology), Epoch (in chronostratigraphy corresponding to the Lower Jurassic series (stratigraphy), Series) is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic Period. The Early Jurassic starts immediately after the Triassic-Jurassic extinction event, 201.3 Ma (million years ago), and ends at the start of the Middle Jurassic 174.1 Ma. Certain rocks of marine origin of this age in Europe are called "Lias Group, Lias" and that name was used for the period, as well, in 19th-century geology. In southern Germany rocks of this age are called Black Jurassic. Origin of the name Lias There are two possible origins for the name Lias: the first reason is it was taken by a geologist from an England, English quarryman's dialect pronunciation of the word "layers"; secondly, sloops from north Cornwall, Cornish ports such as Bude would sail across the Bristol Channel to the Vale of Glamorgan to load up with rock from coastal limestone quarries (lias limestone from S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yizhousaurus
''Yizhousaurus'' (meaning "Yizhou lizard", after the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Region) is a genus of basal sauropodiform dinosaurs which existed in what is now Lufeng Formation, Yunnan Province of southern China during the lower Jurassic period. Identified from a nearly complete and exquisitely preserved skeleton, it is the most complete basal sauropod currently known with intact skull. Although its name was revealed in a 2010 Geological Society of America abstract by Sankar Chatterjee, T. Wang, S.G. Pan, Z. Dong, X.C. Wu, and Paul Upchurch, it wasn't validly named and described until 2018. The type species is ''Yizhousaurus sunae''. Discovery and naming The holotype was discovered in 2002 and was excavated between October 20 through November 23. It consists of a near-complete skull and lower jaw, 31 vertebrae (nine cervical, fourteen dorsal, three sacral and five caudal), shoulder and pelvic girdles, most of both forelimbs and both thighs. The holotype was informally mentio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sanpasaurus
''Sanpasaurus'' ("Sanpa lizard") is a poorly known sauropod dinosaur from the Early to Late Jurassic of Sichuan, China. The type species, ''S. yaoi'', was described by Chung Chien Young, in 1944. The type remains, IVPP V.156, consists of 20 vertebrae, scapulae, forelimbs, and some hindlimb bones.C.-C. Young. 1944. On the reptilian remains from Weiyuan, Szechuan, China. ''Bulletin of the Geological Society of China'' 24(3–4):187-205. Initially reported by Young as an ornithopod ornithischian, this specimen was unambiguously referred to SauropodaA mention buried at the bottom of a long discussion of Asian sauropods, on the Dinosaur Mailing List.Upchurch, P. 1995. The evolutionary history of sauropod dinosaurs. ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, B'', 349:365-390. in 2016 b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pulanesaura
''Pulanesaura'' is an extinct genus of basal sauropod known from the Early Jurassic (late Hettangian to Sinemurian) Upper Elliot Formation of the Free State, South Africa. It contains a single species, ''Pulanesaura eocollum'', known from partial remains of at least two subadult to adult individuals. Discovery and naming The remains of ''Pulanesaura'' were discovered in a small quarry in the farm Spion Kop 932 in the Senekal District of the Free State in 2004 by paleontologist Matthew Bonnan. The bones were excavated between 2004 and 2006, and studied by Blair McPhee as part of his dissertation since 2011. ''Pulanesaura'' was then described and named officially by Blair W. McPhee, Matthew F. Bonnan, Adam M. Yates, Johann Neveling and Jonah N. Choiniere in 2015 with the type species ''Pulanesaura eocollum''. The generic name is derived from the Sesoth word for "rain-maker/bringer", ''Pulane'', in reference to the heavy rain conditions under which the remains were collected, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gongxianosaurus
''Gongxianosaurus'' is a genus of basal sauropod dinosaur from the early Jurassic Period (Toarcian stage). The only species is ''Gongxianosaurus shibeiensis''. Based on four fragmentary to complete specimens found in China (Sichuan Province), it is one of the most completely known early sauropods. The skeleton is known in large part, missing both the hand and the majority of the skull. ''Gongxianosaurus'' was firstly named and described in a short note published in 1998; however, a comprehensive description has yet to be published. ''Gongxianosaurus shibeiensis'' was named for the place it was found, near the village Shibei in Gong County (珙县; Pinyin: Gǒng Xiàn). Description ''Gongxianosaurus'' may have reached in length. Like other sauropods, it moved quadrupedally (on four legs), as indicated by the elongated fore limbs that reached 70 to 75% of hind limb length. The pedal phalanges were short and robust, as typical for sauropods. The pedal phalangeal formula, countin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archaeodontosaurus
''Archaeodontosaurus'' ("ancient-toothed lizard") is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic. Its fossils were found in the Isalo III Formation of Madagascar. The type species, ''Archaeodontosaurus descouensi'', was described in September 2005. The specific name honours the collector, Didier Descouens. It is a probable sauropod, with prosauropod-like teeth.Éric Buffetaut. 2005. A new sauropod dinosaur with prosauropod-like teeth from the Middle Jurassic of Madagascar. ''Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France'', 176(5), 467-473. It may be a basal member of Gravisauria Gravisauria is a clade of sauropod dinosaurs consisting of some genera, Vulcanodontidae and Eusauropoda.Allain, R. and Aquesbi, N. (2008). "Anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of ''Tazoudasaurus naimi'' (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Ea .... References External links dml.cmnh.org* Sauropods Dinosaurs of India and Madagascar Middle Jurassic dinosaurs of Africa Baj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family (taxonomy), family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus. :E.g. ''Panthera leo'' (lion) and ''Panthera onca'' (jaguar) are two species within the genus ''Panthera''. ''Panthera'' is a genus within the family Felidae. The composition of a genus is determined by taxonomy (biology), taxonomists. The standards for genus classification are not strictly codified, so different authorities often produce different classifications for genera. There are some general practices used, however, including the idea that a newly defined genus should fulfill these three criteria to be descriptively useful: # monophyly – all descendants ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
