[D] Shunosaurus lii [Su] [sG] [T]
Describer
Dong, Zhou & Zhang, 1983
Time
Jurassic Middle Bathonian Callovian
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Cetiosauridae Shunosaurinae
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Xiashaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China
Length
10 meter
Info
Genus - Typespecies - Skull
Shunosaurus lii (Dong, Zhou & Zhang, 1983) > Shunosaurus ziliujingensis (Anonymus, 1986)
Nearly complete skeletons of this genus have been found and, when completely described and figured, it will become only the second sauropod (after Camarasaurus) to be known in its entirety.
The skull (Zhang et al, 1984) is relatively long and low with nares facing out. The teeth are relatively small.spatulate, and with long crowns intermediate is shape between those of Camarasaurus and Diplodocus.
This is the only sauropod known to have a [spiked] club tail.
As many as 20 skeletons with 5 skulls. Shunosaurus lii shows some unique features amond sauropods like a tooth morphology combination of cylindrical and spatulate form, pterygoid extremely small and slender, small pterygoid with fossa on dorsal aspect, forked quadrate ramus of pterygoid, external nares at level of orbit, emargination of ventral margin of maxilla-jugal bar behind tooth row, vormers not participating in formation of choanae, quadratojugal participating in jaws articulation, extremely deep basishenoid recess, trochlear (IV) nerve having exist, basispterygoid porcess not wrapped by caudal process of pterygoid, postorbital containing lateral pits, occlusal level of maxillary tooth row downwardly convex, that of dentary upwardly concave, replacing tooth invading on labial side of fubctional tooth, dentary tooth count at least 25.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of genus (as for the type species): Cranial features unique among Sauropoda including the following: Tooth morphology combination of cylindrical and spatulate form; pterygoid extrenmely small and slender; pterygoid with fossa on dorsal acpect; forked quadrate ramus of pterygoid; external nares at level of orbit; emargination of ventral margin of maxilla/jugal bar behind tooth row; vomers not participating in formation of choanae; quadratojugal participating in jaws articulation; extremely deep basisphenoid recess; trochanter (IV) nreve having exits; basispterygoid process not wrapped by caudal process of pterygoid; postorbital containing lateral pit; occlusal level of maxiallary tooth row downwardly convex, that of dentary upwardly concave (\\\\\\\"like a pair of garden shears\\\\\\\"); replacing tooth invading on labial side of functional tooth; dentary tooth count at least 25 (Chatterjee and Zheng , 2002)
Dong, Zhou & Zhang, 1983
Time
Jurassic Middle Bathonian Callovian
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Cetiosauridae Shunosaurinae
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Xiashaximiao Formation, Sichuan, China
Length
10 meter
Info
Genus - Typespecies - Skull
Shunosaurus lii (Dong, Zhou & Zhang, 1983) > Shunosaurus ziliujingensis (Anonymus, 1986)
Nearly complete skeletons of this genus have been found and, when completely described and figured, it will become only the second sauropod (after Camarasaurus) to be known in its entirety.
The skull (Zhang et al, 1984) is relatively long and low with nares facing out. The teeth are relatively small.spatulate, and with long crowns intermediate is shape between those of Camarasaurus and Diplodocus.
This is the only sauropod known to have a [spiked] club tail.
As many as 20 skeletons with 5 skulls. Shunosaurus lii shows some unique features amond sauropods like a tooth morphology combination of cylindrical and spatulate form, pterygoid extremely small and slender, small pterygoid with fossa on dorsal aspect, forked quadrate ramus of pterygoid, external nares at level of orbit, emargination of ventral margin of maxilla-jugal bar behind tooth row, vormers not participating in formation of choanae, quadratojugal participating in jaws articulation, extremely deep basishenoid recess, trochlear (IV) nerve having exist, basispterygoid porcess not wrapped by caudal process of pterygoid, postorbital containing lateral pits, occlusal level of maxillary tooth row downwardly convex, that of dentary upwardly concave, replacing tooth invading on labial side of fubctional tooth, dentary tooth count at least 25.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of genus (as for the type species): Cranial features unique among Sauropoda including the following: Tooth morphology combination of cylindrical and spatulate form; pterygoid extrenmely small and slender; pterygoid with fossa on dorsal acpect; forked quadrate ramus of pterygoid; external nares at level of orbit; emargination of ventral margin of maxilla/jugal bar behind tooth row; vomers not participating in formation of choanae; quadratojugal participating in jaws articulation; extremely deep basisphenoid recess; trochanter (IV) nreve having exits; basispterygoid process not wrapped by caudal process of pterygoid; postorbital containing lateral pit; occlusal level of maxiallary tooth row downwardly convex, that of dentary upwardly concave (\\\\\\\"like a pair of garden shears\\\\\\\"); replacing tooth invading on labial side of functional tooth; dentary tooth count at least 25 (Chatterjee and Zheng , 2002)