New hadrosauriform: Jintasaurus meniscus

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>]

You, H.-L. and D.-Q. Li. 2009. A new basal hadrosauriform dinosaur
(Ornithischia: Iguanodontia) from the Early Cretaceous of northwestern China
Can. J. Earth Sci. 46(12): 949-957 (2009)  |  doi:10.1139/E09-067

Abstract: A new hadrosauriform dinosaur, Jintasaurus meniscus gen. et sp.
nov., is reported from the Lower Cretaceous Xinminpu Group of the Yujingzi
Basin, Jiuquan area, Gansu Province, northwestern China. It is represented
by an articulated posterior portion of the skull and is unique in having an
extremely long, pendant and crescentic paroccipital process with its ventral
tip projecting far beyond the ventral level of the occipital condyle.
Phylogenetic analysis recovers Jintasaurus as the sister-taxon to
Hadrosauroidea, more derived than other Early Cretaceous hadrosauriforms and
Protohadros from the early Late Cretaceous of North America. This discovery
adds one more close relative to Hadrosauroidea in Asia and supports an Asian
origin for this group.

Jin-Ta = golden temple. Meniscus = crescent, in reference to the shape of
its paroccipital processes and occipital condyle.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216                        
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661               

Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/
Faculty Director, Science & Global Change Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/sgc
Fax: 301-314-9843

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA