[D] Dongyangosaurus sinensis [sG] [T]
Describer
Lü, Azuma, Chen, Zheng and Jin, 2008
Time
early Cretaceous Late
Classification
Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Titanosauria
Diet
Herbivore
Fossilsite
Fangyang Formation, Zhehiang Province, China
Info
A new titanosauriform sauropod Dongyangosaurus sinensis gen. et sp. nov. from the early Late Cretaceous of Dongyang County, Zhejiang Province, is erected based on a partial postcranial skeleton. It is characterized by complex laminae on the lateral surface of the neural spines and postzygapophyses of dorsal vertevrae, a distinct fossa on the ventral surfaces of the prezygapophyses of dorsal vertebrae, distinct fossae are also present on the lateral surface of the postzygapophyses of anterior caudal vertebrae; pubis is shorter than ischium, the small obturator foramen of pubis elongated, and nearly closed. The lamina complexity of dorsal vertebrae in Dongyangosaurus indicates that a higher diversity of titanosauriforms occurred during the early Late Cretaceous.
Etymology
Dongyangosaurus . refers to the titanosauriform sauropod dinosaur found from the Chinese administrative unit Dongyang City of Zhejiang Province. Sin- (Greek) China, refers to specimen found from China.
Holotype
A partial vertebral column includes 10 posterior dorsal vertebrae (the anterior one and the third from the last missing centra), complete sacral spines (sacral vertebrae were covered by the ilium and matrix), the first and second caudal vertebrae, parts of dorsal ribs, both ilia, the complete pubis and ischium. The specimen is stored in the Dongyang Museum (Specimen registration No. DYM 04888)
Type locality and horizon
Baidian Village, Dongyang City, Zhejiang Province, Fangyan Formation.
Diagnosis
A large sized titanosauriform sauropod with the following characters: a distinct fossa formed by intraprezygapophyseal lamina and centroprezygapophysal lamina on the ventral surfaces of the prezygapophyses of dorsal vertebrae; dorsal neural spines short, bifucareted; subsidiary spinodiapophyseal lamina developed on the lateral surface of the neural spines, which form triangular concavities which formed by subsidiary laminae also present on the lateral surface of the postzygapophyses; the postzygapophyseal lamina (podl) and spinodiapophyseal lamina are developed on the anterior caudal vertebrae, forming several distinct fossae on the lateral surface near the base of the postzygapophysis; The pubis is shorter than ischium, the obturator foramen of pubis elongated and small, and nearly closed.