Huayangosaurus

Skeletal reconstruction of Huayangosaurus

• China ( Sichuan Province )

• Taibaii H. Dong, Tang & Zhou, 1982

Huayangosaurus is a genus of bird Beck dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) from the group of Stegosauria. He is one of the oldest known Stegosauria and takes systematically in this group a special position.

Features

Huayangosaurus reached a length of about 4.5 meters and was like all Stegosaurus characterized by a double row of bony plates along the back and tail, whose function ( thermoregulation, mating behavior, enemy defenses, or a combination of these tasks ) is not finally resolved. In addition, he carried a sting on each shoulder blade, the tail was also at the end of two pairs of long, sharp spines.

As the only representative of the Stegosauria he pointed at each side of the fuselage in addition to at least one row of horny scales. In contrast to the other Stegosauria the forelimbs were only slightly shorter than the rear legs.

The teeth were aligned, as with all Stegosauria small and for a plant food. As the only Stegosaurier Huayangosaurus wore a small horn above each eye and also had the front of the snout - the premaxilla - teeth. In general, the snout of these animals was shorter and more built than the rest Stegosauria.

Discovery and designation

Fossils of Huayangosaurus was discovered in the Shaximiao formation in the Chinese province of Sichuan and described in 1982 by Dong, Tang and Zhou. The name derives from " Hua Yang ", an old name of Sichuan Province, from. It was found a complete skeleton including the skull and the partially preserved remains of five other animals. The finds are dated to the Middle Jurassic ( Bajocian ).

System

Because of its morphological features Huayangosaurus occupies a special role within the Stegosauria and is managed in a separate family, Huayangosauridae. Phylogenetically, it is regarded as sister taxon of the remaining Stegosauria, which are summarized in the family of Stegosauridae.