Zizhongosaurus
- Sichuan, People's Republic of China ( Ziliujing Formation)
- Zizhongosaurus chuanchengensis
Zizhongosaurus ( "lizard of Zizhong " ) is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic of China. It is only the type species Zizhongosaurus chuanchengensis scientifically described. Within the sauropods it is traditionally one of the Vulcanodontiden featured, along with genres such as Vulcanodon and Barapasaurus. This grouping is now regarded as paraphyletic, however, which is why the Vulcanodontidae is no longer recognized by most researchers. Zizhongosaurus is now run as a noun dubium, the systematic classification within the sauropod remains unclear.
Description
So far from this genus, only a single fund known, consisting of a dorsal arch, a fragmentary pubis and a humerus. In Build this genus corresponded probably other early representatives of the sauropods and had accordingly a long neck and tail. In comparison with related genera, the front limbs were relatively long.
The spinous processes of the spine were undivided, the joint border with the ribs transverse processes were aligned robust and perpendicular to the spinous process. In addition to the articular processes had Zizhongosaurus, like many other sauropods an additional mechanical connection element, which stabilized the spine - the Hyposphen - Hypantrum compounds.
Location and naming
The fossil bones of Zizhongosaurus come from the Ziliujing formation near the Chinese Zizhong County in the Chinese province of Sichuan. The genus lived in the Jurassic and thus represents one of China's oldest sauropods
The scientific description was in 1983 by researchers led by Dong Zhiming. The name Zizhongosaurus consists of the name of the circle Zizhong in which the fossils were discovered, and the Greek saurus ( " lizard" ) together. The second part of the species name, chuanchengensis, has the city Chuancheng. Chuangcheng means something like "Boot City " because of the hill on which the town stands, resembles the shape of a boat.