Open Paleo

Phaedrolosaurus

Dong, 1973 fee-DROH-lo-SOR-us Nomen dubium

From Greek phaedros (elated, bright, gleaming) and sauros (lizard); meaning "elated lizard".

137.1–100.5 million years ago Valanginian–Albian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Phaedrolosaurus is a dubious genus of coelurosaurian (perhaps dromaeosaurid) theropod dinosaur, based on an isolated and non-diagnostic tooth from the Early Cretaceous Lianmuqin Formation of Wuerho, in the autonomous region of Xinjiang, China.

Species

Phaedrolosaurus ilikensis Dong, 1973 Nomen dubium

Type species

Named for the Ilike Formation of China, where the type tooth was recovered.

Lectotype
IVPP V4024-1 , Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
Material
A single complete tooth
Horizon
Lianmuqin Formation, Valanginian–Albian, Early Cretaceous , 137.1–100.5 million years ago
Locality
Wuerho, field locality 64041, Xinjiang, China

References

  1. Dong, Z. (1973). [Dinosaurs from Wuerho]. Reports of Paleontological Expedition to Sinkiang (II): Pterosaurian Fauna from Wuerho, Sinkiang. Memoirs of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Academia Sinica 11: 45-52. dong1973a
  2. Rauhut, O. W. M.; Xu, X. (2005). The small theropod dinosaurs Tugulusaurus and Phaedrolosaurus from the early Cretaceous of Xinjiang, China. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 25(1): 107-118. Informa UK Limited. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2005)025[0107:tstdta]2.0.co;2

    Restricts the genus to the lectotype tooth from Wuerho, Lianmuqin Formation, and gives its age as "?Valanginian-Albian".

    rauhut2005c
  3. Xu, X.; Choiniere, J.; Tan, Q.; Benson, R. B. J.; Clark, J.; Sullivan, C.; Zhao, Q.; Han, F.; Ma, Q.; He, Y.; Wang, S.; Xing, H.; Tan, L. (2018). Two Early Cretaceous Fossils Document Transitional Stages in Alvarezsaurian Dinosaur Evolution. Current Biology 28(17): 2853-2860.e3. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.07.057

    Gives "(Barremian-Aptian?)" only for the Xiyunykus horizon at Wucaiwan, not for the Lianmuqin at Wuerho.

    xu2018c
  4. Sues, H. D. (1977). The skull of Velociraptor mongoliensis, a small Cretaceous theropod dinosaur from Mongolia. Paläontologische Zeitschrift 51(3-4): 173-184. Springer. doi:10.1007/BF02986567

    Designated the type tooth (IVPP V4024-1) as the lectotype of Phaedrolosaurus ilikensis, Dong having failed to designate a holotype.

    sues1977a
  5. Zhao, Q.; Xu, X.; Jia, C.; Dong, Z. (2008). Order Saurischia. The Chinese Fossil Reptiles and Their Kin (Li, J.; Wu, X.; Zhang, F., eds.) 279-335. Science Press, Beijing.

    Treats Phaedrolosaurus ilikensis as a nomen dubium, its holotype tooth having no diagnostic features.

    zhao2008a
  6. Barsbold, R.; Osmólska, H. (1999). The skull of Velociraptor (Theropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 44(2): 189-219.

    Records that Phaedrolosaurus was first assigned to Dromaeosauridae and has since been considered a nomen dubium.

    barsbold1999a