Nanyangosaurus

Norman, David B., 2015, On the history, osteology, and systematic position of the Wealden (Hastings group) dinosaur Hypselospinus fittoni (Iguanodontia: Styracosterna), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 173 (1), pp. 92-189 : 156

NANYANGOSAURUS ZHUGEII XU, ZHAO, LÜ, HUANG, LI & DONG, 2000

This taxon is based upon an incomplete postcranial skeleton of a medium-sized (∼ 4.5 m long) ornithopod collected from the Sangping Formation of Neiziang, Henan Province, China ( Xu et al., 2000). This formation was described as ‘Early Cretaceous’ in age but the support for this dating is vague. Nanyangosaurus is incompletely described and will benefit from an accurate description so that its anatomy and relationships can be clarified.

Teeth and jaws

These elements are unknown for Nanyangosaurus .

Axial skeleton

What little is known suggests that this ornithopod had dorsal vertebrae with neural spines ( Xu et al., 2000: fig. 1) that were neither narrow nor very elongate as they are in Hy. fittoni .

Appendicular skeleton

The forelimb was more lightly constructed than in Hy. fittoni , with the radius and ulna being comparatively slender and bowed along their length ( Xu et al., 2000: fig. 2D). There is no evidence for the presence of a pollex spine, and the carpus was not described although it was mentioned in translation as being ‘reduced’ (this structure might be able to provide additional information on the presence/absence of digit I in the manus). The femur ( Xu et al., 2000: fig. 2G, H) differs from that of Hy. fittoni in that it appears to have a straight shaft and the extensor intercondylar groove is deeply recessed. The intercondylar groove is not, however, completely tunnel-like because the bony lips developed from the edges of distal condyles fail to meet.