[D] Struthiosaurus languedocensis
Describer
Garcia and Pereda-Suberbiola, 2003
Time
Cretaceous Late Campanian
Classification
Ornithischia Thyreophora Eurypoda Ankylosauria Nodosauridae
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Villeveyrac-Mèze Basin, southern France
Fall Under
Struthiosaurus
Length
< 3 meter
Info
Struthiosaurus (Bunzel, 1870) = Pleuropeltus (Seeley, 1881) Crataeomus (Seeley, 1881) Danubiosaurus (Bunzel, 1871) Leipsanosaurus (Nopcsa, 1918)
Struthiosaurus (Bunzel, 1870) > Struthiosaurus austriacus (Bunzel, 1870) >>> Crataeomus lepidophorus (Seeley, 1881) >> Danubiosaurus anceps (1) (Bunzel, 1871 partim) >> Crataeomus pawlowitschii (Seeley, 1881) >> Pleuropeltus suessi (Seeley, 1881) >> Leipsanosaurus noricus (Nopcsa, 1918) >> Hoplosaurus ischyrus (Seeley, 1881)
Struthiosaurus > \\\"Struthiosaurus transilvanicus\\\" (Nopcsa, 1915)
Struthiosaurus (Bunzel, 1870) > Struthiosaurus languedocensis (Garcia and Pereda-Suberbiola, 2003)
Described from a partial skeleton that includes distal dorsal vertebrae, synsacrum and pelvic girdle. Characterised by distal dorsal centra that are very compressed laterally and hourglass in shape in ventral view; ischium directed immediately caudal from the acetabulum, with a robust shaft that does not taper distally and that is weakly curved in a caudoventral orientation.
The synsacrum of S. languedocensis consists of ten co-ossified vertebrae, including five dorsals, four sacrals and a caudal. Among ankylosaurs, only Polacanthus foxii has a similar synsacral count, but there are significant differences in the pelvic structure between Struthiosaurus and Polacanthus.
The presence of an ischium lacking a distinct nodosaurid-like ventral flexion appears to be diagnostic for the genus Struthiosaurus, as suggested by additional remains recovered from the upper Campanian of Laño (Iberian Peninsula). Current data suggests that Struthiosaurus is represented by different species in southwestern and central Europe.
Struthiosaurus languedocensis, sp. nov. is a small-sized nodosaurid (less than 3 m length) characterised by distal dorsal centra that are very compressed laterally and hourglass in shape in ventral view; ischium directed immediately caudal from the acetabulum, with a robust shaft that does not taper distally and that is weakly curved in a caudoventral orientation.
Garcia and Pereda-Suberbiola, 2003
Time
Cretaceous Late Campanian
Classification
Ornithischia Thyreophora Eurypoda Ankylosauria Nodosauridae
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Villeveyrac-Mèze Basin, southern France
Fall Under
Struthiosaurus
Length
< 3 meter
Info
Struthiosaurus (Bunzel, 1870) = Pleuropeltus (Seeley, 1881) Crataeomus (Seeley, 1881) Danubiosaurus (Bunzel, 1871) Leipsanosaurus (Nopcsa, 1918)
Struthiosaurus (Bunzel, 1870) > Struthiosaurus austriacus (Bunzel, 1870) >>> Crataeomus lepidophorus (Seeley, 1881) >> Danubiosaurus anceps (1) (Bunzel, 1871 partim) >> Crataeomus pawlowitschii (Seeley, 1881) >> Pleuropeltus suessi (Seeley, 1881) >> Leipsanosaurus noricus (Nopcsa, 1918) >> Hoplosaurus ischyrus (Seeley, 1881)
Struthiosaurus > \\\"Struthiosaurus transilvanicus\\\" (Nopcsa, 1915)
Struthiosaurus (Bunzel, 1870) > Struthiosaurus languedocensis (Garcia and Pereda-Suberbiola, 2003)
Described from a partial skeleton that includes distal dorsal vertebrae, synsacrum and pelvic girdle. Characterised by distal dorsal centra that are very compressed laterally and hourglass in shape in ventral view; ischium directed immediately caudal from the acetabulum, with a robust shaft that does not taper distally and that is weakly curved in a caudoventral orientation.
The synsacrum of S. languedocensis consists of ten co-ossified vertebrae, including five dorsals, four sacrals and a caudal. Among ankylosaurs, only Polacanthus foxii has a similar synsacral count, but there are significant differences in the pelvic structure between Struthiosaurus and Polacanthus.
The presence of an ischium lacking a distinct nodosaurid-like ventral flexion appears to be diagnostic for the genus Struthiosaurus, as suggested by additional remains recovered from the upper Campanian of Laño (Iberian Peninsula). Current data suggests that Struthiosaurus is represented by different species in southwestern and central Europe.
Struthiosaurus languedocensis, sp. nov. is a small-sized nodosaurid (less than 3 m length) characterised by distal dorsal centra that are very compressed laterally and hourglass in shape in ventral view; ischium directed immediately caudal from the acetabulum, with a robust shaft that does not taper distally and that is weakly curved in a caudoventral orientation.