Dongyangopelta
Dongyangopelta | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Dinosauria |
Clade: | †Ornithischia |
Clade: | †Thyreophora |
Clade: | †Ankylosauria |
Family: | †Nodosauridae |
Genus: | †Dongyangopelta Chen et al., 2013 |
Type species | |
†Dongyangopelta yangyanensis Chen et al., 2013
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Dongyangopelta (meaning "Dongyang shield") is an
Discovery and naming
In October 2009, a partial
The specimen was described and named by Rongjun Chen, Wenjie Zheng, Yoichi Azuma, Masateru Shibata, Tianliang Lou, Qiang Jin and Xingsheng Jin in
Description
The preserved sacrodorsal vertebrae of Dongyangopelta have large neural arches, small neural canals and an elongated centrum. The prezygapophyses and postzygapophyses of the sacrodorsal vertebrae are fused together. The sacral vertebrae have a broad centra, with no groove or ridge. Of the few vertebrae preserved, some have ribs that are fused to the transverse processes. The right ilium preserves hourglass shaped sacral ribs. The greater part of the illium projects above the articulation with the femur. The femur measures 46 cm (18.1 in) in length. It is straight and robust, with a curving posteriorly femoral shaft. The femoral head is distinct and is separated from the great trochanter by a change in slope. The distal end of the femur is robust, with a large medial condyle and a small lateral condyle. The non-ungual phalanges are broad and short. The ungual phalanx is rectangular and similarly broad to the non-ungual phalanges. Rod-like ossified tendons were preserved in the matrix and vary from compressed to circular in cross section.[1]
The pelvic shield is made up of numerous fused osteoderms that form a rosette pattern, with the central, larger osteoderms not being completely ringed by smaller osteoderms. Numerous other osteoderms are known from different parts of the body, including thin triangular plates that range in length from 10 to 35 cm (3.9 to 13.8 in), domed osteoderms and cone-shaped osteoderms. Small, circular ossicles may have been arranged in a mosaic patterning around these types of osteoderms.[1]
Classification
Chen and colleagues (2013) assigned Dongyangopelta to the clade
A phylogenetic analysis conducted by Rivera-Sylva et al. (2018) and modified by Madzia et al. (2021) is reproduced below.
Nodosauridae |
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