Open Paleo

Kiyacursor

Averianov et al., 2024 KEE-yuh-CUR-suh

Named after the Kiya River in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, where fossils were found, combined with Latin 'cursor' (runner); meaning 'Kiya River runner'

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

Kiyacursor is an extinct genus of noasaurid theropod dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous Ilek Formation of Russia. The genus contains a single species, K. longipes, known from a partial skeleton. Kiyacursor represents the first Early Cretaceous ceratosaur discovered in Asia, as well as the second non-avian theropod named from Russia, after Kileskus in 2010.

Diagnosis

  1. Cervical centrum not constricted in the middle
  2. Additional pneumatic foramina on cervical neural arch
  3. Humerus head globular
  4. Humerus lacking internal tuberosity
  5. Humerus lacking posterolateral tubercle
  6. Humerus distal articular surface flat
  7. Metatarsal II proximal end smaller than that of metatarsal IV
  8. Metatarsal IV shaft lateromedially compressed
  9. Single groove on pedal unguals

Species

Kiyacursor longipes Averianov et al., 2024

Type species

From Latin 'longus' meaning 'long' and 'pes' meaning 'foot', referring to the elongated foot bones of the holotype.

Holotype
KOKM 5542 , Kuzbass State Museum of Local Lore
Material
Incomplete skeleton including cervical and caudal vertebrae, ribs, left scapulocoracoid, humeri, and articulated hind limbs
Horizon
Ilek Formation, Aptian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–113.2 million years ago
Locality
Shestakovo 1, Kemerovo, Russia

Synonyms of the genus

Name Type Reason
Kyacursor informal Alternative spelling that has appeared in press coverage and social media; not a formally published variant.

References

  1. Averianov, A. O.; Voronkevich, A. V.; Leshchinskiy, S. V.; Fayngertz, A. V. (2006). A ceratopsian dinosaur Psittacosaurus sibiricus from the Early Cretaceous of West Siberia. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 4(4): 359-395. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1017/S1477201906001933

    Prints the position of each Shestakovo site in a figure caption, including Shestakovo 1, the Kiyacursor type locality.

    averianov2006a
  2. Averianov, A. O.; Skutschas, P. P.; Atuchin, A. A.; Slobodin, D. A.; Feofanova, O. A.; Vladimirova, O. N. (2024). The last ceratosaur of Asia: a new noasaurid from the Early Cretaceous Great Siberian Refugium. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 291(2023). The Royal Society. doi:10.1098/rspb.2024.0537 averianov2024a