| Irisosaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Skeletal restoration | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | †Sauropodomorpha |
| Clade: | †Anchisauria |
| Genus: | †Irisosaurus Peyre de Fabrègueset al., 2020 |
| Type species | |
| †Irisosaurus yimenensis Peyre de Fabrègueset al., 2020 | |
Irisosaurus (meaning "iridescent lizard" after the iridescent clouds ofYunnan Province,China) is an extinct genus ofsauropodiformsauropodomorphdinosaur,[1] from theFengjiahe Formation of China. Thetype species,Irisosaurus yimenensis was formally described in 2020.[1][2] It was thesister taxon toMussaurus.
The holotype,CVEB 21901, was found in the rocks of the Fengjiahe Formation in Yimen County, Yunnan, during the summer of 2018. In 2020, it was assigned to the new genus and species,Irisosaurus yimenensis, named after the county it was found and "the famous iridescent clouds of Yunnan Province" (Chinese:彩云之南; literally "south of colorful clouds", the likely origin of Yunnan's name).[1][2]
The holotype ofIrisosaurus shows a unique combination of traits that in themselves are not unique. There is a large and deep neurovascular foramen on the perinarial fossa. The premaxillary ramus of the maxilla is higher than it is long prior to the nasal process. The proximal half of metacarpal V is strongly asymmetrical.[1]
