A Reassessment of Kelmayisaurus petrolicus, a Large Theropod Dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China

Brusatte, Stephen L. and Benson, Roger B. J. and Xu, Xing (2012) A Reassessment of Kelmayisaurus petrolicus, a Large Theropod Dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous of China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 57 (1). pp. 65-72. DOI https://doi.org/10.4202/app.2010.0125

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Abstract

The Early Cretaceous fossil record of large−bodied theropods from Asia is poor, hindering comparison of Asian predatory dinosaur faunas with those from other continents. One of the few large Asian theropod specimens from this interval is a partial skull (maxilla and dentary) from the Lianmugin Formation (?Valanginian–Albian), the holotype of Kelmayisaurus petrolicus. Most authors have either considered this specimen as an indeterminate basal tetanuran or a nomen dubium. Weredescribe K. petrolicus and note that it possesses a single autapomorphy (a deep accessory groove on the lateral surface of the anterior dentary), as well as a unique combination of characters that differentiates it from other theropods, affirming its validity. A phylogenetic analysis recovers K. petrolicus as a basal carcharodontosaurid, which is supported by various features: very deep interdental plates (a carcharodontosaurid synapomorphy), fused interdental plates (present in carchardontosaurids and a limited number of other theropods), and the absence of diagnostic features of other clades of large−bodied theropods such as abelisaurids, megalosauroids, and coelurosaurs. As such, Kelmayisaurus is the second known carcharodontosaurid from Asia, and further evidence that this clade represented a global radiation of large−bodied predators during the Early–mid Cretaceous.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 1997-2012 Instytut Paleobiologii PAN :: Copyright policy (http://www.app.pan.pl/copyright-policy.html)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2012AREP; IA63;
Subjects:	04 - Palaeobiology
Divisions:	04 - Palaeobiology
Journal or Publication Title:	Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
Volume:	57
Page Range:	pp. 65-72
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.4202/app.2010.0125
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	05 May 2012 12:24
Last Modified:	23 Jul 2013 10:04
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/2499

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