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.
