Open Paleo

Jinyunpelta

Zheng et al., 2018 JIN-yun-PEL-tuh

Named after Jinyun County, Zhejiang, China combined with Greek pelta (shield); meaning "Jinyun shield"

113.2–93.9 million years ago Albian–Cenomanian, Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous and Late Cretaceous stages

Jinyunpelta is a genus of herbivorous ankylosaurine thyreophoran dinosaur from the Cretaceous Liangtoutang Formation of Jinyun County, Zhejiang, China; it has one species, the type species J. sinensis. This species is the basalmost ankylosaur known to have had a proper tail club.

Diagnosis

  1. Two paranasal apertures C1 and C2 located posterior to external naris at same level with external naris
  2. Triangular fossa on anterodorsal edge of maxilla
  3. Postorbital excluded from posterior rim of orbit
  4. Anterior portion of prearticular underlying posterior portion of splenial
  5. Prominent scar present mediodorsal to medial condyle of femur
  6. Tail club knob roughly hexagonal in dorsal view with widest point close to distal end

Species

Jinyunpelta sinensis Zheng et al., 2018

Type species

From Latin 'sinensis' meaning 'from China', referring to the country of discovery.

Holotype
ZMNH M8960 , Zhejiang Museum of Natural History
Material
Almost complete skull and partial postcranial skeleton including cervical, dorsal and sacral vertebrae, partial tail club knob, dorsal ribs, right scapula, partial right manus, left ilium, both ischia, left femur, osteoderms and postcranial ossicles
Horizon
Liangtoutang Formation, Albian–Cenomanian, Early Cretaceous–Late Cretaceous , 113.2–93.9 million years ago
Locality
Lijin Industrial Park, Huzhen Town, Zhejiang, China

References

  1. Zheng, W.; Jin, X.; Azuma, Y.; Wang, Q.; Miyata, K.; Xu, X. (2018). The most basal ankylosaurine dinosaur from the Albian-Cenomanian of China, with implications for the evolution of the tail club. Scientific Reports 8(1). Springer Science and Business Media LLC. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-21924-7 zheng2018a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Ornithischians. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the body length, mass, and hip height estimates, and the appearance features.

    jones2026a