Gasosaurus
| Gasosaurus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Skeletal restoration illustrating known material in white | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | Avetheropoda |
| Genus: | †Gasosaurus Dong & Tang, 1985 |
| Type species | |
| †Gasosaurus constructus Dong & Tang, 1985
| |
Gasosaurus (
Discovery and naming
The first and to date only
Description
Gasosaurus is a
Many potentially informative features of the holotype skeleton (IVPP V7264) are difficult to assess based on published descriptions and images. The taxon represents a tetanuran based on the presence of a pubic peduncle of the ilium that is substantially larger than the ischial peduncle. Examination of casts reveals that the lesser trochanter does not rise above the level of the femoral head, and instead, the proximal portion of the femoral head is broken and the lesser trochanter reaches approximately midlevel of the head as in non-coelurosaurian tetanurans.[3]
Furthermore, it is recognized by an amphiplatyan cervical centra with incipient weak ventral keel, dorsals with amphiplatyan centra, low neural arches and plate-like neural spines, dorsal neural spines lacking expanded bulks at tips, five sacral centra and arches firmly fused while neural spines not fused, presence of a humeral foramen, low ilium with a less developed anterior process, and distal ends of pubis and ischium expanded but lacking foot-like processes.[1]
Classification
Traditionally thought to be a
Because of the fragmentary nature of the known Gasosaurus fossils, it has an uncertain position within Tetanurae, and probably lays outside Coelurosauria. A detailed restudy of the holotype is underway that may change its classification.[3]
Paleoecology
Gasosarurus lived during the mid-
These similar dinosaurs show an intriguing combination of derived tetanuran synapomorphies and primitive features shared with non-tetanurans, which suggest they occupy a basal position within Tetanurae. Understanding the anatomy of Chinese Jurassic taxa may reveal further details of primitive tetanuran anatomy and help resolve the early evolution of this successful theropod clade. Future exploration of the Chinese Middle Jurassic theropod record may bring new insights into the diversification of Tetanurae, the origin of larger body sizes among more derived theropods, and Middle Jurassic paleobiogeography.[8]
References
- ^ a b G., Peng; Ye, Y.; Gao, Y.; Shu, C.; Jiang, S. (2005). "Jurassic Dinosaur Faunas in Zigong". 彭光照 叶 勇 高玉辉 舒纯康 江 山 著.
- ^ "Gasosaurus Paleoserver Entry". Dinobase. University of Bristol-Department of Geology. April 30, 2001. Archived from the original on March 7, 2005. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
- ^ .
- ^ Dong and Tang, 1985. A new Mid-Jurassic theropod (Gasosaurus constructus gen et sp. nov.) from Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan Province, China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 23(1), 77-82.[1]
- ^ Holtz, 2000. A new phylogeny of the carnivorous dinosaurs. Gaia. 15, 5-61.
- ^ Holtz TR Jr, Molnar RE, Currie PJ. 2004. Basal Tetanurae. In: Weishampel DB, Dodson P, Osmólska H, eds. The dinosauria, 2nd edn. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 71–110.
- ISBN 978-0-7566-9910-9.
- ^ .
External links
Data related to Gasosaurus at Wikispecies
Media related to Gasosaurus at Wikimedia Commons