Describer

Lü Xu Jia Zhang Zhang Yang You Ji Q. 2009

Time

Cretaceous Late

Classification

Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Titanosauria [Andesauridae ]

Diet

Herbivore

Fossilsite

Mangchuan Formation, Henan Province, China

Length

estimated 30 meter

Info

Ruyangosaurus giganteus gen. et sp. nov. is characterized by a lower neural spine, lack of centroprezygoapophyseal lamina, a large, irregularly triangular deep fossa on the lateral surface of the neural arch, the prezygodiapophyseal lamina oriented anteroposteriorly, and a robust tibia, the complete right tibia is 127 cm in length. The discovery of Ruyangosaurus indicates that a higher diversity of sauropod dinosaurs occurred during the early Late Cretaceous than previously thought.

Ruyangosaurus giganteus is similar to Argentinosaurus in the width of centrum ot the dorsal vertebra. Although one large-sized sauropod [Huanghetitan ruyangensis] was discovered from a site close to the fossil location of R. giganteus, the structures of the dorsal vertebrae are significantly different.

The dorsal vertebae of R. giganteus is much larger that that of [Huanghetitan ruyangensis] indicating the R. giganteus is much larger than giganteus [Huanghetitan ruyangensis]. R. giganteus obviously represent a new and gigantic dinosaur, which can match Argentinosaurus in the size of its centrum, and represent the largest dinosaur found from Asia so far.

Etymology

The generic name refers tot he Ruyang County of Henan Province, which to holotype locality belongs to sauros, Greek for lizard, reptile. giganteus, Greek, very large, huge indicates that Ruyangosaurus is a huge sauropod dinosaur.

Holotype

One nearly complete posterior cervical vertebrae, one nearly complete posterior dorsal vertebra, one posterior cervical rib and one anterior dorsal rib, proximal portion of right femur, one conplete right tibia. The specimen (41HIII-0002) is housed in the Henan Geological Museum.

Locality and horizon

Shengshuigou of Shaping Village, Liudian Town, Ruyang County of Henan Province. Mangchuan Formation, early Late Cretaceous.

Diagnosis

A giant sauropod dinosaur characterized by the following derived features: a relatively small neural canal and short neural spines; a large irregularly triangular deep fossa on the lateral surface of the neural arch; lack of centroprezygapophyseal lamina; two spinodiapophysal laminae and the dia pophysis form a deep concavity on the lateral surface of the base of the neural spine; the posterior centrodiapophyseal lamina stoutest among the laminae; and the centropophyseal lamina weak and plate-like, together with the postzygodiapophyseal lamina and the posterior centrodiapophyseal lamina and the posterior centrodiapophysal lamina, forming a triangular concavity.

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