| Jiyuanitectum Temporal range:Late Permian | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Chroniosuchia |
| Family: | †Bystrowianidae |
| Genus: | †Jiyuanitectum Liuet al.,2014 |
| Type species | |
| †Jiyuanitectum flatum Liuet al., 2014 | |
Jiyuanitectum is an extinctgenus ofchroniosuchiantetrapod from theLate PermianShangshihezi Formation of China. It is known from a single bonyscute fromJiyuan inHenan province, ascribed to thetype speciesJiyuanitectum flatum in 2014. Plate-like scutes, which formed armor-like coverings on the backs of chroniosuchians, are the most commonly found chroniosuchian remains. They are also the most informative when it comes to distinguishing between species due to small variations in scute anatomy between different taxa. For example, a shallow groove along the midline of the scute is unique toJiyuanitectum. The flatness of the scute is another unusual characteristic, giving it the species nameflatum.Jiyuanitectum shares several features in common with the chroniosuchiansSynesuchus andBystrowiella, including the upper surface of the scute being covered in ridges that are mostly oriented perpendicular to the midline, and the absence of a bony projection on the front of the scute called the anteromedial articular processes, which is seen in other chroniosuchians. These features suggest thatJiyuanitectum belongs to the familyBystrowianidae. The narrowness of the scute suggests that it may be one of the mostbasal members of the group.[1]
The scute ofJiyuanitectum was found within a diverse Late Permian fossil assemblage in Jiyuan that includes abundant remains of thepareiasaurShihtienfenia as well as fossils of two other chroniosuchian species:Bystrowiana sinica andDromotectum largum.Therapsid remains are also known from the assemblage.[1]
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