Jinzhousaurus abstract

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler bh480@scn.org
Jinzhousaurus abstract

Here's a rough translation of the abstract for
Jinzhousaurus. Again, the official English version should
appear in  few months in the Chinese Science Bulletin. I
had some problems trying to find the exact translation of
certain Chinese phrases to describe features of the skull
so I've inserted cautionary question marks.

Wang Xiaolin & Xu Xing, 2001. "A new genus and species of
iguanodont from the Yixian Formation in Liaoxi: Yang's
Jinzhou dragon [Jinzhousaurus yangi]," Kexue Tongbao 46
(5): 419-423 [March 2001].


Abstract (rough translation): A large iguanodont dinosaur
discovered in the Yixian Formation in Liaoxi is made a new
genus and species: Jinzhousaurus yangi, based on the form
of the skull and characteristics of the teeth. Certain
characters in Jinzhousaurus are primitive compared to the
majority of known iguanodonts, but a great part of its
component characters are close to advanced iguanodonts
from the Early Cretaceous period, such as the moderately
expanded rostral portion of the premaxilla(?) [front upper
jaw bone mouth part] and the tooth form compared with the
arrangement pattern. In addition, Jinzhousaurus has a
number of characters extraordinarily close to hadrosaurs,
for example, the antorbital fenestra (?) [eye socket front
opening] is not developed. This species' unusual
characteristics have double importance to research, both
in understanding iguanodont evolution and the origin of
hadrosaurs. Jinzhoushaurus was discovered in the middle
Yixian Formation of the Sihetun fossil beds, and is the
first large dinosaur found in the Liaoxi Jehol biota. The
discovery of Jinzhousaurus proves that the Jehol biota
dates to the Early Cretaceous period.

Western Liaoning  Yixian Formation  Early Cretaceous
Jehol biota Jinzhousaurus