Open Paleo

Fusuisaurus

Mo et al., 2006 foo-SWAY-SAWR-us

From Fusui (the county in Guangxi, China where it was discovered) + Greek sauros, 'lizard'; means 'Fusui lizard'

121.4–113.2 million years ago Aptian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Fusuisaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China. Fragmentary postcranial remains of this animal have been discovered in 2001 in the Xinlong Formation of Guangxi, and consist of the left ilium, left pubis, anterior caudals, most of the dorsal ribs, and distal end of the left femur. This sauropod has been described as a basal titanosauriform. The type species is F. zhaoi, named in honor of Chinese paleontologist Zhao Xijin.

Diagnosis

  1. Anterior dorsal ribs non-pneumatic
  2. Presence of a prominent, pointed anteroventral process of the ilium
  3. Preacetabular blade of the ilium strongly expanded dorsoventrally
  4. Posterior margin of the ilium notched
  5. Transverse process of the anterior caudal vertebrae dorsoventrally flattened

Species

Fusuisaurus zhaoi Mo et al., 2006

Type species

Named for Chinese paleontologist Zhao Xijin.

Holotype
NHMG 6729 , Natural History Museum of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Material
Left ilium, left pubis, 3 incomplete articulated anterior caudals, dorsal ribs, and distal end of left femur
Horizon
Xinlong Formation, Aptian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–113.2 million years ago
Locality
Liubang village, Guangxi, China

References

  1. Mo, J.; Buffetaut, E.; Tong, H.; Amiot, R.; Cavin, L.; Cuny, G.; Suteethorn, V.; Suteethorn, S.; Jiang, S. (2016). Early Cretaceous vertebrates from the Xinlong Formation of Guangxi (southern China): a review. Geological Magazine 153(1): 143-159. doi:10.1017/S0016756815000394

    Establishes that Xinlong has precedence over Napai for this unit.

    mo2016a
  2. Mo, J.; Wang, W.; Huang, Z.; Huang, X.; Xu, X. (2006). A basal titanosauriform from the Early Cretaceous of Guangxi, China. Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition) 80(4): 486-489. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.2006.tb00267.x mo2006a
  3. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate.

    jones2026b