Open Paleo

Yunmenglong

Lü et al., 2013 YOON-mung-long

Named after the Yunmengshan area of Henan Province, China where it was found, combined with Chinese long meaning 'dragon'; translates as 'Yunmeng dragon'

121.4–100.5 million years ago Aptian–Albian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Yunmenglong is an extinct genus of somphospondylan sauropod known from the late Early Cretaceous of Henan Province, central China. Its remains were discovered in the Haoling Formation of the Ruyang Basin. The type species is Yunmenglong ruyangensis, described in 2013 by Junchang Lü and colleagues on the basis of an incomplete postcranial skeleton. Yunmenglong shares some characters with Euhelopus, Qiaowanlong, and Erketu; a phylogenetic analysis places it as a sister taxon of Qiaowanlong, both grouped with Erketu in a position more derived than Euhelopus but basal to Titanosauria.

Diagnosis

  1. Distal end of neural spine of caudal vertebrae ball-shaped with coarse surfaces, without postspinal fossa
  2. Extreme elongation of cervical vertebrae with elongation index > 2.5, reaching greatest length in sixth and seventh elements
  3. Epipophyses of postaxial cervical vertebrae much elongated and rod-like, extending beyond posterior margins of postzygapophyses
  4. Two fossae on longitudinal depression of lateral surfaces of cervicals: anterior shallow and posterior deep piercing centrum
  5. Neural canal of dorsal vertebra triangular in posterior view, located within large concavity formed by centropostzygapophyseal laminae

Species

Yunmenglong ruyangensis Lü et al., 2013

Type species

Named for the Ruyang Basin in Henan Province, China, where the fossil remains were discovered in the Haoling Formation.

Holotype
HGM 41HIII-0006 , Henan Geological Museum
Material
Seven naturally articulated anterior cervical vertebrae, two isolated posterior cervical vertebrae, one dorsal vertebra, four anterior caudal vertebrae, and one complete right femur
Horizon
Haoling Formation, Aptian–Albian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–100.5 million years ago
Locality
Huamiaogou, Liudian Town, Henan, China

References

  1. Lü, J.; Xu, L.; Pu, H.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, Y.; Jia, S.; Chang, H.; Zhang, J.; Wei, X. (2013). A new sauropod dinosaur (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the late Early Cretaceous of the Ruyang Basin (central China). Cretaceous Research 44: 202-213. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2013.04.009 lü2013b