Caenagnathasia
| Caenagnathasia Temporal range: Turonian-Maastrichtian,
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| Illustration of the lower jaw | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Clade: | Saurischia |
| Clade: | Theropoda |
| Family: | †Caenagnathidae |
| Subfamily: | †Elmisaurinae |
| Genus: | †Caenagnathasia Currie et al., 1994 |
| Species: | †C. martinsoni
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| Binomial name | |
| †Caenagnathasia martinsoni Currie et al., 1994
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Caenagnathasia ('recent jaw from Asia') is a small caenagnathid oviraptorosaurian theropod from the Late Cretaceous of Uzbekistan.
Discovery
[edit]The type species Caenagnathasia martinsoni was named and described in 1994 by Philip J. Currie, Stephen Godfrey and Lev Nesov. The generic name is a combination of a reference to the species' placement in the Caenagnathidae, with Asia, the continent of its provenance. The specific name honours Gerbert Genrikhovich Martinson. The genus is based on holotype N 401/12457, a pair of fused dentaries of the lower jaws. The specimen was found near Dzharakuduk in layers of the Bissekty Formation, dating to the Turonian-Coniacian, around 90 mya, making it the oldest known caenagnathoid. A second specimen was referred to the species, N 402/12457, a right dentary of a slightly smaller individual. Both individuals were adult.[1] In 2015, new material of Caenagnathasia was described. From the same site as the holotype, the material includes various vertebrae, a dentary, and a femur.[2]
Description
[edit]Caenagnathasia is the smallest known oviraptorosaur and one of the smallest non-avian dinosaurs. The jaw fragments are only a few centimetres long and total skull length has been estimated at 3 inches (7.6 cm). A 2010 estimate by Gregory S. Paul gave it a length of 2 feet (0.61 m) and a weight of 3 pounds (1.4 kg).[3] Caenagnathasia would presumably have resembled other oviraptorosaurs, which were feathered, bird-like dinosaurs with beaked skulls, long necks, and long limbs. Recent studies suggest it was one of the more primitive members of the Caenagnathidae.
Classification
[edit]Caenagnathasia was originally assigned to the Caenagnathidae. It was even included in the definition of that clade published by Hans-Dieter Sues.[4] It has been suggested however, that it might have a more basal position in the Oviraptorosauria, outside of the Caenagnathoidea.[5] In 2015 after the description of new material, it was found that Caenagnathasia could confidently be referred to Caenagnathidae.[2]
The below cladogram is based on that resolved in the description of Anzu.[6]
| Caenagnathoidea |
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Currie, P.J.; Godfrey, S.J.; Nessov, L. (1994). "New caenagnathid (Dinosauria, Theropoda) specimens from the Upper Cretaceous of North America and Asia". Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. 30 (10–11): 2255–2272. doi:10.1139/e93-196.
- ^ a b Sues, H.-D.; Averianov, A. (2015). "New material of Caenagnathasia martinsoni (Dinosauria: Theropoda: Oviraptorosauria) from the Bissekty Formation (Upper Cretaceous: Turonian) of Uzbekistan". Cretaceous Research. 54: 50–59. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2014.12.001.
- ^ Paul, G.S., 2010, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press p. 152
- ^ Sues, Hans-Dieter (1997). "On Chirostenotes, a Late Cretaceous oviraptorosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from western North America". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 17 (4): 698–716.
- ^ Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2010) Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages, Winter 2010 Appendix.
- ^ Lamanna, M. C.; Sues, H. D.; Schachner, E. R.; Lyson, T. R. (2014). "A New Large-Bodied Oviraptorosaurian Theropod Dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Western North America". PLOS ONE. 9 (3): e92022. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...992022L. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092022. PMC 3960162. PMID 24647078.
External links
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