Yangchuanosaurus
Name:
Yangchuanosaurus
(Yangchuan lizard).
Phonetic: Yang-chwan-oh-sore-us.
Named By: Dong et al - 1978.
Synonyms: Szechuanosaurus zigongensis.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia, Dinosauria,
Saurischia, Theropoda, Allosauroidea, Sinraptoridae.
Species: Y. shangyouensis
(type),
Y. zigongensis.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Largest individuals estimated up to 10.8
meters long.
Known locations: China - Shaximiao Formation.
Time period: Bathonian/Callovian of the Jurassic..
Fossil representation: Two partial skeletons.
Yangchuanosaurus
is often likened to fulfilling the same ecological niche as Allosaurus,
except in Asia instead of North America. Not only does
Yangchuanosaurus have a similar morphology to Allosaurus
it also had
access to similar prey items such as stegosaurs and sauropods.
Yangchuanosaurus had a characteristic growth on top
of its nose as
well as smaller horns and ridges, and also possessed a tail that made
up half of its total length.
The
first specimen of Yangchuanosaurus was discovered
by a construction
worker working upon the construction of a dam in Sichuan Province.
This revealed an eight meter individual. In 1983 however the
second specimen and species of Yangchuanosaurus was
discovered from the
same formation, and this time the remains revealed an individual
estimated to be just under eleven meters long. This gives
Yangchuanosaurus another similarity to Allosaurus
as it has an
average length of eight meters with some individuals suggesting up to
eleven meters as well.
There
was once a third species of Yangchuanosaurus,
however this has since
been found to represent another but closely related Asian theropod
called
Sinraptor.
Further reading
- [A new carnosaur from Yongchuan County, Sichuan Province]. - Ke Xue
Tong Bao [Science Newsletter] 23(5):302-304. - Z. Dong, Y. Zhang, X. Li
& S. Zhou - 1978.
- A new species of Szechuanosaurus from the Middle Jurassic of
Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan. - Vertebrata PalAsiatica 31(4): 308-314. -
Y. Gao - 1993.
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