Dianchungosaurus

De-an-chung-o-sor-us.
Published on

John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Dianchungosaurus.

Phonetic

De-an-chung-o-sor-us.

Named By

C.-C.‭ ‬Young‭ ‬-‭ ‬1982.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Archosauromorpha,‭ ‬Crocodylomorpha,‭ ‬Mesoeucrocodylia.

Diet

Uncertain.

Species

D.‭ ‬lufengensis‭

Size

Unknown due to lack of remains.

Known locations

China,‭ ‬Yunnan Province‭ ‬-‭ ‬Lufeng Formation.

Time Period

Sinemurian of the Jurassic.

Fossil representation

Partial remains.

In Depth

       When first described in‭ ‬1982‭ ‬Dianchungosaurus was thought to represent a small Jurassic dinosaur,‭ ‬and until the early years of the twenty-first century was listed as a heterodontosaurid dinosaur.‭ ‬In‭ ‬2005‭ ‬however a study by Barret and Xu discovered that the original description of Dianchungosaurus was actually based upon a fossil chimera,‭ ‬described from the remains of two different types of animal.‭ ‬These original fossils are now known to have come from a crocodylomorph and sauropodomorph dinosaur.‭ ‬Because the actual holotype fossil‭ (‬IVPP V4735a‭) ‬was from the crocodylomorph,‭ ‬Dianchungosaurus is now listed as a crocodylomorph,‭ ‬not a dinosaur.

Further Reading

-‭ [‬On a new genus of dinosaur from Lufeng,‭ ‬Yunnan‭]‬.‭ ‬Selected Works of Yang Zhungjian.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Science Press,‭ ‬Beijing‭ ‬38-42.‭ ‬-‭ ‬C.-C.‭ ‬Young‭ ‬-‭ ‬1982. -‭ ‬Reassessment of Dianchungosaurus lufengensis Yang,‭ ‬1982,‭ ‬an enigmatic reptile from the Lower Lufeng Formation‭ (‬Lower Jurassic‭) ‬of Yunnan Province,‭ ‬People’s Republic of China.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Paleontology‭ ‬79‭ (‬5‭)‬:‭ ‬981‭–‬986.‭ ‬-‭ ‬P.‭ ‬M.‭ ‬Barret‭ & ‬X.‭ ‬Xu‭ ‬-‭ ‬2005.

Adopt A Species
prehistoric-wildlife new logo

Love this species?

Adopt it today!

(UPDATED!)

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT