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Thyreophoran
Thyreophora ("shield bearers", often known simply as "armored dinosaurs") is a group of armored ornithischian dinosaurs that lived from the Early Jurassic until the end of the Cretaceous. Thyreophorans are characterized by the presence of body armor lined up in longitudinal rows along the body. Primitive forms had simple, low, keeled scutes or osteoderms, whereas more derived forms developed more elaborate structures including spikes and plates. Most thyreophorans were herbivorous and had relatively small brains for their body size. Thyreophora includes various subgroups, including the suborders Ankylosauria and Stegosauria. In both the suborders, the forelimbs were much shorter than the hindlimbs, particularly in stegosaurs. The clade has been defined as the group consisting of all species more closely related to ''Ankylosaurus'' than to ''Triceratops''. Thyreophora is the sister group of Cerapoda within Genasauria. Groups of thyreophorans Basal thyreophorans Basal thyreop ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scelidosaurus
''Scelidosaurus'' (; with the intended meaning of "limb lizard", from Greek / meaning 'rib of beef' and ''sauros''/ meaning 'lizard')Liddell & Scott (1980). Greek-English Lexicon, Abridged Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. is a genus of herbivorous armoured ornithischian dinosaur from the Jurassic of the British Isles. ''Scelidosaurus'' lived during the Early Jurassic Period, during the Sinemurian to Pliensbachian stages around 191 million years ago. This genus and related genera at the time lived on the supercontinent Laurasia. Its fossils have been found in the Charmouth Mudstone Formation near Charmouth in Dorset, England, and these fossils are known for their excellent preservation. ''Scelidosaurus'' has been called the earliest complete dinosaur.Norman, David (2001). "''Scelidosaurus'', the earliest complete dinosaur" in ''The Armored Dinosaurs'', pp 3-24. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. . It is the most completely known dinosaur of the British Isle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laquintasaura
''Laquintasaura'' is a genus of Venezuelan Ornithischia, ornithischian dinosaur containing only the type species ''Laquintasaura venezuelae''. The species was the first dinosaur to have been identified from Venezuela. It is known from extensive remains, all from a singular bonebed locality which has been sampled for specimen blocks over the course of several expeditions, largely led by Marcelo R Sánchez-Villagra. A small, very primitive animal, it is known for its distinct dental anatomy and for being one of the earliest and most primitive ornithischians in the fossil record. Taxonomic uncertainty has led to conflicting theories that it is either as the base of Ornithischia or at the base of the subgroup Thyreophora. In either model, its dating to around 200 million years ago, at the start of the Jurassic, existence in equatorial latitudes, and primitive nature make it a key view into early ornithischian evolution. It's thought that ''Laquintasaura'' would've lived in groups and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stegosaurus Stenops
''Stegosaurus'' (; ) is a genus of herbivorous, four-legged, armored dinosaur from the Late Jurassic, characterized by the distinctive kite-shaped upright plates along their backs and spikes on their tails. Fossils of the genus have been found in the western United States and in Portugal, where they are found in Kimmeridgian- to early Tithonian-aged strata, dating to between 155 and 145 million years ago. Of the species that have been classified in the upper Morrison Formation of the western US, only three are universally recognized: ''S. stenops'', ''S. ungulatus'' and ''S. sulcatus''. The remains of over 80 individual animals of this genus have been found. ''Stegosaurus'' would have lived alongside dinosaurs such as ''Apatosaurus'', ''Diplodocus'', ''Brachiosaurus'', ''Ceratosaurus'', and ''Allosaurus''; the latter two may have preyed on it. They were large, heavily built, herbivorous quadrupeds with rounded backs, short fore limbs, long hind limbs, and tails held high ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuxisaurus
''Yuxisaurus'' (meaning "Yuxi lizard") is an extinct genus of basal thyreophoran dinosaur from the Early Jurassic (Sinemurian-Toarcian) Fengjiahe Formation of southwestern China. The type species is ''Yuxisaurus kopchicki.'' Discovery and naming ''Yuxisaurus'' was first named in a ''bioRxiv'' preprint released in late 2021, but was not considered valid, due to having not been validly published. The taxon was formally published shortly thereafter, in March 2022. The holotype of the taxon, CVEB 21701, represents a partial skeleton including parts of the skull, several vertebrae, elements of the limbs, and at least 120 osteoderms. The generic name, "''Yuxisaurus''," combines a reference to the type locality in Yuxi, Yunnan Province, China, with the Greek "sauros," meaning "lizard." The specific name, "''kopchicki''," honors the biologist John J. Kopchick. Classification ''Yuxisaurus'' was a basal thyreophoran. Depending on the dataset, it may be the sister taxon to the Ger ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bienosaurus
''Bienosaurus'' (meaning "Bien's lizard") is a genus of thyreophoran dinosaur from the Lower Jurassic (probably Sinemurian) Lower Lufeng Formation in Yunnan Province in China. Discovery and species In 1938, Bian Meinian, known in the West as Mei Nien Bien, discovered a fragmentary dinosaur skull. In 2001, Dong Zhiming named and described the specimen as the type species ''Bienosaurus lufengensis''. The generic name honours Bian. The specific name refers to the Lufeng formation. ''Bienosaurus'' is based on holotype IVPP V15311 (in 2001 incorrectly given the inventory number IVPP V 9612). It consists of a partial right lower jaw with teeth and several cranial fragments. Phylogeny Dong in 2001 placed ''Bienosaurus'' in the Scelidosauridae, considering these to be part of the Ankylosauria. Later publications suggested a general position basal in the Thyreophora. In 2019 a study confirmed this, concluding ''Bienosaurus'' was a ''nomen dubium'', possibly identical to ''Tatisaur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emausaurus
''Emausaurus'' is a genus of thyreophoran or armored dinosaur from the Early Jurassic (Early Toarcian). Its fossils have been found in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. ''Emausaurus'' is the only known Toarcian thyreophoran, as well as the only dinosaur from the zone of the same age with a formal name. Discovery and naming The type and only species, ''E. ernsti'', was named and described by Harmut Haubold in 1990. The generic name is composed of an acronym of Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald and the Greek ''/'' (lizard). The specific name is derived from the name of geologist Werner Ernst, who acquired the holotype specimen, SGWG 85, in the summer of 1963 from foreman Werner Wollin at a loampit near Grimmen, in strata dating from the Toarcian. It is known by the right side of the skull, the right lower jaw, caudal vertebrae, neural arches, a radius, a metatarsal, a claw, fragments of ribs, scutes, and plates, known as EMAU SGWG 85. Description ''Emausaurus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jakapil
''Jakapil'' (meaning "shield bearer" in Puelchean) is a genus of basal thyreophoran dinosaur from the Candeleros Formation of Argentina. The type species is ''Jakapil kaniukura''. Discovery and naming The holotype, MPCA-PV-630, is a partial skeleton including several osteoderms and a complete lower jaw, which were found on land owned by the Mariluan family in 2012 and excavated between 2014 and 2019/2020. The finds were prepared by L. Pazo and J. Kaluza. The generic name, "''Jakapil''", is derived from "Ja-Kapïl", a Puelchean word meaning "shield bearer". This is also the literal meaning of the clade name Thyreophora. The specific name, "''kaniukura''", means "crest stone" in Mapudungun, in reference to its uniquely deep jaw. Description ''Jakapil'' represents a novel morphotype among thyreophorans, including, among other things, the presence of a predentary bone (absent or cartilaginous in other basal thyreophorans), large, low osteoderms, and a bipedal stance, similar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tatisaurus
''Tatisaurus'' is a genus of ornithischian dinosaur from the Early Jurassic from the Lower Lufeng Formation in Yunnan Province in China. Little is known as the remains are fragmentary. The type species is ''T. oehleri''. Discovery and species In 1948 and 1949 Father Edgar Oehler, a Catholic priest working for the Fu Jen Catholic University at Beijing, excavated fossils near the village of Da Di in Yunnan. Among them was the jaw bone of a herbivorous dinosaur. In 1965 David Jay Simmons named and described it as the type species ''Tatisaurus oehleri''. The generic name is derived from Da Di, then more usually spelled as "Ta Ti". The specific name honours Oehler. The holotype, FMNH CUP 2088, was found in the Zhangjiawa Beds of the Lufeng Formation, dating from the Sinemurian. It consists of a partial left mandible with teeth. The lower jaw bone fragment is, lacking the tip, six centimetres long. The teeth are eroded. It is the only specimen known of the species. Simmons assigne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scutellosaurus
''Scutellosaurus'' ( ) is a genus of thyreophoran ornithischian dinosaur that lived approximately 196 million years ago during the early part of the Jurassic Period in what is now Arizona, USA. It is classified in Thyreophora, the armoured dinosaurs; its closest relatives may have been ''Emausaurus'' and ''Scelidosaurus'', another armored dinosaur which was mainly a quadrupedal dinosaur, unlike bipedal ''Scutellosaurus''. It is one of the earliest representatives of the armored dinosaurs and the basalmost form discovered to date. ''Scutellosaurus'' was a small, lightly-built, ground-dwelling, herbivore, that could grow up to an estimated long. Etymology The genus name ''Scutellosaurus'' means "little-shielded lizard", and is derived from the Latin word "scutellum" meaning "little shield", and the Greek word "sauros" (σαύρα) meaning "lizard". The type and only valid species known today is ''Scutellosaurus lawleri''. The specific name honors David Lawler who collected the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osteoderm
Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales, plates, or other structures based in the dermis. Osteoderms are found in many groups of extant and extinct reptiles and amphibians, including lizards, crocodilians, frogs, temnospondyls (extinct amphibians), various groups of dinosaurs (most notably ankylosaurs and stegosaurians), phytosaurs, aetosaurs, placodonts, and hupehsuchians (marine reptiles with possible ichthyosaur affinities). Osteoderms are uncommon in mammals, although they have occurred in many xenarthrans (armadillos and the extinct glyptodonts and mylodontid and scelidotheriid ground sloths). The heavy, bony osteoderms have evolved independently in many different lineages. The armadillo osteoderm is believed to develop in subcutaneous dermal tissues. These varied structures should be thought of as anatomical analogues, not homologues, and do not necessarily indicate monophyly. The structures are however derived from scutes, common to all classes of amniotes and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herbivore
A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthparts adapted to rasping or grinding. Horses and other herbivores have wide flat teeth that are adapted to grinding grass, tree bark, and other tough plant material. A large percentage of herbivores have mutualistic gut flora that help them digest plant matter, which is more difficult to digest than animal prey. This flora is made up of cellulose-digesting protozoans or bacteria. Etymology Herbivore is the anglicized form of a modern Latin coinage, ''herbivora'', cited in Charles Lyell's 1830 ''Principles of Geology''.J.A. Simpson and E.S.C. Weiner, eds. (2000) ''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. 8, p. 155. Richard Owen employed the anglicized term in an 1854 work on fossil teeth and skeletons. ''Herbivora'' is derived from Latin ''herba' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, the equivalent Latin term ''cladus'' (plural ''cladi'') is often used in taxonomical literature. The common ancestor may be an individual, a population, or a species (extinct or extant). Clades are nested, one in another, as each branch in turn splits into smaller branches. These splits reflect evolutionary history as populations diverged and evolved independently. Clades are termed monophyletic (Greek: "one clan") groups. Over the last few decades, the cladistic approach has revolutionized biological classification and revealed surprising evolutionary relationships among organisms. Increasingly, taxonomists try to avoid naming taxa that are not clades; that is, taxa that are not monophyletic. Some of the relationships between organisms ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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