Suzhousaurus

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Suzhousaurus
Temporal range:
Ma
Mounted skeleton displayed in National Museum of Natural Science with elements from both specimens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: †Therizinosauria
Superfamily: †
Therizinosauroidea
Genus: †Suzhousaurus
Li et al. 2007
Type species
†Suzhousaurus megatherioides
Li et al. 2007

Suzhousaurus (meaning "Suzhou lizard") is a

priority
.

Suzhousaurus was an unusually large Early Cretaceous therizinosauroid reaching lengths of 6 m (20 ft) and nearly 3.1 t (3,100 kg) in weight. The upper arm (

therizinosaurids, making Suzhousaurus to be considered as a therizinosauroid. Unlike derived (advanced) therizinosaurids, the vertebral column was not highly pneumatized, however, the pelvis shows a marked therizinosaurid-like opisthopubic
build. Like other therizinosauroids, Suzhousaurus had elongated claws and neck for browsing, robust hindlimbs and a large trunk that ended on a reduced tail.

With the description of the more complete second specimen, the

sister taxon
of this family.

History of discovery

Diagram showing known remains from FRDC-GSJB-99 and FRDC-GSJB-2004-001

The

priority. However, a direct comparison is difficult because there is no overlapping material and the holotype of "N". bohlini is apparently lost.[1]

In 2008, a new and fairly more complete skeleton was described. The specimen FRDC-GSJB-2004-001 which contains the last three dorsal vertebrae, the

dentary tooth referred to Suzhousaurus that was collected in the Yujingzi Basin near the area of the two specimens,[3] which was described in detail by the same team and You Hailu in 2017.[4]

In 2018, You with colleagues proposed the Mazongshan Fauna, which is composed by dinosaur taxa found on the Xiagou and Zhonggou formations, and provided more historical data from the Suzhousaurus specimens: FRDC-GSJB-99 was discovered around 1999 being found in mid gray-variegated beds of the Xiagou Formation dating to the early–mid-Aptian stage, and FRDC-GSJB-2004-001 was found in 2004 at the upper red beds in the Zhonggou Formation dating to the Early Albian.[5]

Description

Life restoration

Suzhousaurus was one of the largest known Early Cretaceous therizinosauroids, with a length of 6 m (20 ft) and a ponderous weight of approximately 3.1 t (3,100 kg).

keratinous beak, had stocky/robust hindlimbs, a large belly and a reduced tail. Feather impressions from the therizinosauroids Beipiaosaurus suggest at least a partial feathering in Suzhousaurus.[9][10]

The

caudal vertebrae are smaller than preceding vertebrae with more rounded facets. The wideness of the neural spine progressively decreases.[2]

Schematic comparison of the ilium of Suzhousaurus (D) and other therizinosaurs

As a whole, the

great trochanter and articular surfaces. It has a total length of 84 cm (840 mm).[2]

Classification

Li and coauthors, in their description, assigned Suzhousaurus to the

sister taxon of the Therizinosauridae representing the latest diverging therizinosauroid.[8] which has also been corroborated by Button and colleagues.[4] In 2019, Hartman and team performed a phylogenetic analysis for the Therizinosauria using data provided by Zanno 2010 and found this time Suzhousaurus as a therizinosaurid taxon, however, with poor support.[11]

Relationships of Suzhousaurus and Falcarius. The former represents the latest diverging therizinosauroid

Results obtained by Zanno in 2010 for the Therizinosauroidea are shown in the cladogram below:[8]

Therizinosauroidea

Paleoecology

The overall environment deposition of the

faunas to travel across areas without geographical barriers.[5]

Xiagou Formation

The vast majority of ornithothoracines are known from the near Changma Basin

The gray-variegated beds in the Xiagou Formation of the Yujingzi Basin were deposited in

lowland-like environments with coastal conditions.[5] A high diversity of ornithothoracines is known from this formation such as Avimaia, Changmaornis, Dunhuangia, Feitianius, Gansus, Jiuquanornis, Qiliania and Yumenornis.[12] Other theropod dinosaurs known from the gray-variegated beds of Suzhousaurus include the large ornithomimosaur Beishanlong and the predatory tyrannosauroid Xiongguanlong. Additional herbivores are represented by Archaeoceratops, Jintasaurus, Qiaowanlong and Xuwulong.[5]

Zhonggou Formation

The Albian Zhonggou Formation slightly overlains the

lacustrine deposits in the upper part of the Zhonggou Formation.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISSN 1000-9515
    .
  2. ^
    doi:10.1139/E08-021
    .
  3. ^ Button, K.; Zanno, L. E.; You, H.; Kirkland, J. I. (2015). "Dichotomous evolution of tooth growth and replacement strategies in herbivorous dinosaurs". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, SVP Program and Abstracts Book (2015): 100.
  4. ^
    PMID 29250467
    .
  5. ^
    S2CID 202867591
    .
  6. PMID 24802911
    .
  7. ISBN 9780691167664
    .
  8. ^
    S2CID 53405097
    .
  9. S2CID 204993327
    .
  10. PMID 23734177
    .
  11. PMID 31333906
    .
  12. PMID 24147058
    .
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