Open Paleo

Leshansaurus

Li et al., 2009 luh-SHAHN-SAWR-us

Named after Leshan, the city in Sichuan Province, China, near where fossils were found, combined with Greek 'sauros' (lizard); meaning 'Leshan lizard'

170.9–154.8 million years ago Bajocian–Oxfordian, Middle Jurassic–Late Jurassic
Middle Jurassic and Late Jurassic stages

Leshansaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation of what is now China. It was described in 2009 by a team of Chinese paleontologists. The type species is Leshansaurus qianweiensis. Fossils of Leshansaurus were discovered in strata from the Shangshaximiao Formation, a formation rich in dinosaur fossils. Li and colleagues referred this taxon to Sinraptoridae — a group of carnosaurian theropods, but it may belong to Megalosauridae instead.

Diagnosis

  1. Supraoccipital with prominent, sharp-peaked median ridge in dorsal view
  2. Frontal ratio of maximum length to width 2.4 (unusually elongate)
  3. Basipterygoid processes of basisphenoid slender
  4. Atlas intercentrum horseshoe-shaped, with bifid neural spine
  5. Dorsal vertebral centra horseshoe-shaped in cross-section
  6. Dorsal and sacral neural spines extremely thin (3–5 mm thick)
  7. Transverse processes of dorsal vertebrae relatively long and slender
  8. Sacral vertebrae with distinct ventral keels
  9. Ilium with conspicuous ridge along medial margin of acetabular edge
  10. Tibia and femur nearly equal in length (ratio ~1.0)
  11. Metatarsal II approximately equal in length to metatarsal IV

Species

Leshansaurus qianweiensis Li et al., 2009

Type species

Named for Qianwei County in Sichuan, China, where the holotype fossils were found.

Holotype
QW200701 , Leshan Giant Buddha Museum
Material
Relatively complete adult skeleton including incomplete skull, 7 cervical, 12 dorsal, 5 sacral, 2 caudal vertebrae, right ilium, left pubis, femur, tibiae, partial metacarpals, phalanges, astragalus, metatarsals
Horizon
upper Shaximiao Formation, Bajocian–Oxfordian, Middle Jurassic–Late Jurassic , 170.9–154.8 million years ago
Locality
Yuanbaoshan, Tongyi Village, Xiaogu, Qianwei, Sichuan, China

References

  1. Li, F.; Peng, G.; Yong, Y.; Jiang, S.; Huang, D. (2009). A new carnosaur from the Late Jurassic of Qianwei, Sichuan, China. Acta Geologica Sinica 83(9): 1203-1210. li2009b
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Theropods. Princeton University Press.

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

    jones2026c