Open Paleo

Sinocephale

Evans et al., 2021 SI-no-SEPH-uh-lee

From Latin 'Sinae' (China) + Greek 'kephale' (head), meaning 'Chinese head', referring to its country of origin and the distinctive domed head typical of pachycephalosaurids.

93.9–83.6 million years ago Turonian–Santonian, Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous stages

Sinocephale is a genus of pachycephalosaurid dinosaur that lived in what is now Inner Mongolia, China, during the Cretaceous period. The genus contains a single species, Sinocephale bexelli, which was originally named as a species of the genus Troodon in 1953, and later referred to the genus Stegoceras. After decades of being considered dubious, it was re-evaluated in 2021 and recognized as a valid taxon, being given its own genus, Sinocephale. The original holotype was lost, with modern research conducted using rediscovered plaster casts.

Diagnosis

  1. Posteromedian process of domed parietal deeply embayed along posterior midline (autapomorphy)
  2. Closed supratemporal fenestra
  3. Highly arched temporal chamber roof
  4. Wide posteromedian process of parietal completely separating squamosals on posterior skull margin
  5. Parietal lacking primary parietosquamosal nodal ornamentation
  6. Low but distinct midline ridge on dorsal posteromedian process parietal surface

Species

Sinocephale bexelli Evans et al., 2021

Type species

Named for Gerhard Bexel, who discovered the holotype specimen during a Swedish paleontological expedition to Inner Mongolia in 1930 or 1931.

Holotype
Not catalogued , Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (lost)
Material
Incomplete parietal, virtually intact along the midline and right side, composed of a triangular midline segment with complete posterior margin and a smaller fragment bearing the right postorbital contact
Horizon
Ulansuhai Formation, Turonian–Santonian, Late Cretaceous , 93.9–83.6 million years ago
Locality
Tsondolein-Khuduk, Inner Mongolia, China

References

  1. Evans, D. C.; Brown, C. M.; You, H.; Campione, N. E. (2021). Description and revised diagnosis of Asia's first recorded pachycephalosaurid, Sinocephale bexelli gen. nov., from the Upper Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 58(10): 981-992. Canadian Science Publishing. doi:10.1139/cjes-2020-0190

    Recovers it as a Prenocephale-grade pachycephalosaurine, with weak support for its position within the subfamily.

    evans2021a