Gigantspinosaurus

• China, Sichuan Province

• G. sichuanensis Ouyang, 1992

Gigantspinosaurus is a genus of bird Beck dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) from the group of Stegosauria.

Features

Gigantspinosaurus showed the typical for all Stegosauria double row of bony plates ( osteoderms ) on the back, but these were relatively small. Instead, he was greatly prolonged spines in the shoulder area. These spikes were even other stegosaurs present in this dinosaur they reached however twice the length of the shoulder blade. Like all Stegosaurus Gigantspinosaurus probably moved on all fours quadruped away and fed on plants.

Discovery and designation

Fossil remains of this dinosaur - a copy, in which the largest part of the skull, the back legs and the tail was missing, were found in the Shaximiao - formation near Zigong in Sichuan Province, China and first described in 1992. The name means " big thorn lizard" and alludes to the extended shoulder spikes on. Only known type and therefore the type species is G. sichuanensis. The finds are dated to the early Upper Jurassic ( Oxfordian ) to an age of about 163-157 million years.

Gigantspinosaurus was long considered a nomen nudum. In 2006, new studies, however, emphasize the validity of this name began. Currently also studies of Chinese researchers of the museum run in Zigong to this genus.

System

Gigantspinosaurus is classified as a representative of Stegosauria, wherein him. Around a quaint, if not is the basalsten representatives of this group

Swell

• Bird Beck dinosaur
• Ornithischia