| Kelmayisaurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Maxilla and dentary ofIVPP V 4022, theholotype ofK. petrolicus | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Family: | †Carcharodontosauridae (?) |
| Genus: | †Kelmayisaurus Dong,1973 |
| Type species | |
| †Kelmayisaurus petrolicus Dong, 1973 | |
Kelmayisaurus (meaning "Karamay lizard") is anextinctgenus ofcarcharodontosauriantheropoddinosaur from theEarly Cretaceous. It was roughly 10–12 meters (33–39 feet) long and its name refers to the petroleum-producing city ofKaramay in theXinjiang province of westernChina near where it was found.
Kelmayisaurus is known from theholotype and only specimenIVPP V 4022. It consists of a complete leftdentary with teeth and partial leftmaxilla. The specimen was found during the early 1970s in theLianmuqin Formation of theTugulu Group, dating to theValanginian-Albianstages between 140 and 100million years ago. The discovery locality is near Wuerho in theJunggar Basin.[1] It was first named and described by ChinesepaleontologistDong Zhiming in1973 and thetype species isKelmayisaurus petrolicus.[2]
A supposed second species,K. "gigantus", was mentioned in a popular book as being a 21-meter (69-foot) long vertebral column from theMiddle JurassicShishugou Formation.[3] It is anomen nudum and does not pertain toKelmayisaurus, but instead appears to be alapsus calami for thesauropodKlamelisaurus.[4][5]
Kelmayisaurus had been thought to be anomen dubium due to its scanty remains,[6] and its phylogenetic position was uncertain. It was usually regarded as abasal tetanuran of uncertain affinities.[7][8] However,Kelmayisaurus is diagnosable by the form and presence of a deeply inset accessory groove on thelateral side of thedentary, the main toothbearing bone of the lower jaw. Some of its features are like those ofcarcharodontosaurians, but they are also seen in largemegalosauroids likeMegalosaurus andTorvosaurus.[9]
In 2011, a redescription of the holotype by Stephen L. Brusatte, Roger B.J. Benson and Xing Xu foundKelmayisaurus to be valid genus ofCarcharodontosauridae with a singleautapomorphy. Aphylogenetic analysis ofTetanurae recoveredK. petrolicus as a basal carcharodontosaurid in atrichotomy withEocarcharia and a clade comprising morederived carcharodontosaurids.[1]
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