| Dongyangosaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Holotype | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Sauropoda |
| Clade: | †Macronaria |
| Clade: | †Titanosauria |
| Genus: | †Dongyangosaurus Lüet al., 2008 |
| Species: | †D. sinensis |
| Binomial name | |
| †Dongyangosaurus sinensis Lüet al., 2008 | |
Dongyangosaurus is agenus oftitanosauriansauropoddinosaur from theLate Cretaceous.[1] The only species isDongyangosaurus sinensis, from which only a single fragmentary skeleton is known, coming from theZhejiang province of eastern China. It was described and named byLü Junchang and colleagues.[2] Like other sauropods,Dongyangosaurus would have been a largequadrupedalherbivore.[3]
The only skeleton (holotype DYM 04888) is stored in the Dongyang Museum (Dongyang, Zhejiang). It consists of ten dorsal vertebrae, the sacrum, two caudalvertebrae as well as the completepelvis. The skeleton was found articulated.[2]
Dongyangosaurus was a midsized sauropod, measuring approximately 50 ft (15 m) in length and 15 ft (5 m) in height. The dorsal vertebrae were characterized by eye shapedpleurocoels and low bifurcatedneural spines. The sacrum consisted of six fused sacral vertebrae, a feature unique tosomphospondylans.[1] The caudal vertebrae wereamphicoelous (concave anteriorly and posteriorly). Thepubis was shorter than theischium. Theobturator foramen was narrow and extended.[2]
When this genus was first described, it was thought to be atitanosauriform of uncertain placement. In 2013, however, it was found to be asaltasaurid closely related to theMongolian sauropodOpisthocoelicaudia.[1] In 2019, this was again changed to a position outside of theLithostrotia.[4]
The Upper Cretaceous of Zhejiang is known for its fossil dinosaur eggs. Skeletal remains are rarely found; the only described dinosaurs are the sauropodJiangshanosaurus from theJinhua Formation, thetheropodChilantaisaurus zhejiangensis (now known to have been an indeterminatetherizinosaurid theropod unrelated toChilantaisaurus), and the nodosauridZhejiangosaurus from theChaochuan Formation.Dongyangosaurus comes from the Jinhua Formation.[5] The age of this unit is consideredTuronian-Coniacian.[6]
The specimen was found in 2007 in the village of Baidian within the city ofDongyang, from which the generic name is derived. The specific name,sinensis, isGreek for "from China".[2]
