Lanzhousaurus magnidens, Norman, 2015, Norman, 2015

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 : 155-156

LANZHOUSAURUS MAGNIDENS YOU, JI & LI, 2005

Lanzhousaurus is known from some skull bones and teeth, parts of the vertebral column, and some individual appendicular elements. Collected from Zhongpu, Gansu Province, China, and reported as coming from the Hekou Group (‘Early Cretaceous’ – You et al., 2005: 786).

Teeth and jaws

The dentary teeth resemble those described in Hy. fittoni quite closely in outline and in the details of the ridge pattern on the lingual enamelled surface of the crown. The teeth of Lanzhousaurus are substantially larger than those of Hy. fittoni (some reportedly being 75 mm wide across the enamelled face – You et al., 2005: fig. 2E) and there are far fewer tooth positions (14) in the dentary of L. magnidens . The dentary is arched anteriorly and there is a large, obliquely inclined coronoid process ( You et al., 2005: fig. 1A, D).

Axial skeleton

The centra of cervical vertebrae are opisthocoelous and the anterior dorsal series exhibits tall, but comparatively thick, neural spines ( You et al., 2005: fig. 3A) that are more closely comparable to those of B. dawsoni or I. bernissartensis than the slender and elongate morphology seen in Hy. fittoni .

Appendicular skeleton

A sternal plate ( You et al., 2005: fig. 3B) is preserved and is similar in outline to that seen in Hy. fittoni in having a large ‘blade’ and a comparatively short, flattened ‘handle’. The pubis ( You et al., 2005: fig. 3C) shows a deep, laterally compressed prepubic process that is strongly expanded distally; this is unlike the general form inferred in material assigned to Hy. fittoni .