| Beishanlong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restored skeleton ofBeishanlong andXiongguanlong | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Clade: | †Ornithomimosauria |
| Family: | †Deinocheiridae |
| Genus: | †Beishanlong Makovickyet al.,2010 |
| Species: | †B. grandis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Beishanlong grandis Makovickyet al., 2010 | |
Beishanlong is agenus of giantornithomimosauriantheropoddinosaur from theEarly Cretaceous ofChina. It is the second-largest ornithomimosaur discovered, only surpassed by the relatedDeinocheirus.
Three fossils ofBeishanlong were found in the early twenty-first century inNorthwestern China at theWhite Ghost Castle site, in the province ofGansu. Thetype species isBeishanlong grandis, described and named online in 2009 by a team of Chinese and American paleontologists, and formally published in January2010 by the samePeter Makovicky,Li Daiqing,Gao Keqin,Matthew Lewin,Gregory Erickson andMark Norrell. The generic name combines a references to theBei Shan, the "North Mountains", with a Chineselong, "dragon". Thespecific name means "large" inLatin, in reference to the body size.[1]
Beishanlong lived in the lateAptian stage,[2] with its fossils being uncovered in layers of theXinminpu Group, in theXiagou Formation. Theholotype isFRDC-GS GJ (06) 01-18, found in 2006, consisting of a partial skeleton lacking the skull.[1] Theparatypes consist of two specimens found in 2007: one consisting of remains of hindlimbs, the other, FRDC-GS JB(07)01-01, being a pair ofpubes. A fourth fossil found in 1999, IVPP V12756 consisting of foot bones, was tentatively referred to the species.[1]
Beishanlong is of a considerable size, approximating the largest-known individuals ofGallimimus, which have been estimated to reach eight metres. According to the description,Beishanlong "is one of the largest definitive ornithomimosaurs yet described, though histological analysis shows that the holotype individual was still growing at its death." Ahistological study of the bone structure of thefibula found thirteen or fourteen growth lines, indicating the individual was subadult, though growth had already slowed.[1] The size of this subadult individual is estimated at 5.9–7 m (19–23 ft) in length and 375–626 kilograms (827–1,380 lb) in body mass.[3][1][4][5]
The build ofBeishanlong was rather robust. The arms and legs were long, though lacking the extremely elongated hands, feet and claws of later forms.[1]
Beishanlong was by the describers assigned to theOrnithomimosauria, in a morebasal position.Beishanlong was closely related to fellow ornithomimosaurianHarpymimus. Together they formed apolytomy with the main ornithomimosaurian branch just belowGarudimimus.[1] In 2014 Yuong-Nam Leeet al. recoveredBeishanlong as a member ofDeinocheiridae basal to aclade containingGarudimimus andDeinocheirus.[6]
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