Zhuchengtyrannus
Encyclopedia
Zhuchengtyrannus is an extinct genus
of carnivorous theropod dinosaur
from the Late Cretaceous
period. It is a tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid which lived during the late Cretaceous
period in what is now Zhucheng
, Shandong Province of China
. It is known from the holotype
ZCDM V0031, a nearly complete right maxilla
and associated left dentary (lower jaw, both with teeth) recovered from the Wangshi Group
, dating to about 70 million years ago. It was one of the largest known carnivorous theropods, and the holotype has been estimated to have been about 11 m (36.1 ft) in length and 4 metres (13.1 ft) in height. The holotype dentary is only slightly smaller than some of the largest known Tyrannosaurus rex jawbones, but significantly smaller than the corresponding bones of the huge Tyrannosaurus
fossil "Sue"
.
The dinosaur was found in an area that was a floodplain in the Cretaceous period and which contains one of the highest concentrations of dinosaur bones in the world.
and the type species
is Zhuchengtyrannus magnus. The generic name is derived from the word Zhucheng which refers to the type locality, and tyrant. The specific name magnus meaning "great" in Latin
refers to the relatively large size of Zhuchengtyrannus.
It is possible that several isolated teeth from the same quarry, previously given the name Tyrannosaurus zhuchengensis, belong to this or a related species. The T. zhuchengensis teeth are characterized by serrations which extend all the way to the base of the tooth crown, a feature not seen in any other tyrannosaurine species. All known teeth of Zhuchengtyrannus are too poorly preserved in this area to compare with T. zhuchengensis, but further finds may clarify their relationship.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of carnivorous theropod dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from the Late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period. It is a tyrannosaurine tyrannosaurid which lived during the late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period in what is now Zhucheng
Zhucheng
Zhucheng is a county-level city in the southeast of Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is under the administration of Weifang City and has a population of 1.06 million.-History:Zhucheng was originally known as Langya...
, Shandong Province of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It is known from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
ZCDM V0031, a nearly complete right maxilla
Maxilla
The maxilla is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper jaw. This is similar to the mandible , which is also a fusion of two halves at the mental symphysis. Sometimes The maxilla (plural: maxillae) is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper...
and associated left dentary (lower jaw, both with teeth) recovered from the Wangshi Group
Wangshi Group
The Wangshi Group is a geological formation in Shandong, China whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation.-Dinosaurs:-References:...
, dating to about 70 million years ago. It was one of the largest known carnivorous theropods, and the holotype has been estimated to have been about 11 m (36.1 ft) in length and 4 metres (13.1 ft) in height. The holotype dentary is only slightly smaller than some of the largest known Tyrannosaurus rex jawbones, but significantly smaller than the corresponding bones of the huge Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus
Tyrannosaurus meaning "tyrant," and sauros meaning "lizard") is a genus of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaur. The species Tyrannosaurus rex , commonly abbreviated to T. rex, is a fixture in popular culture. It lived throughout what is now western North America, with a much wider range than other...
fossil "Sue"
Sue (dinosaur)
"Sue" is the nickname given to FMNH PR 2081, which is the largest, most extensive and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex specimen ever found. It was discovered in the summer of 1990 by Sue Hendrickson, a paleontologist, and was named after her...
.
The dinosaur was found in an area that was a floodplain in the Cretaceous period and which contains one of the highest concentrations of dinosaur bones in the world.
Classification and naming
Zhuchengtyrannus was first named by David W. E. Hone, Kebai Wang, Corwin Sullivan, Xijin Zhao, Shuqing Chen, Dunjin Li, Shuan Ji, Qiang Ji and Xing Xu in 20112011 in paleontology
-Lobopods:-Arachnids:-Insects:-Newly named jawless vertebrates:-Newly named acanthodian:-Newly named cartilaginous fishes:-Newly named bony fishes:-Newly named lepospondyls:-Newly named temnospondyls:-Newly named lissamphibians:...
and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Zhuchengtyrannus magnus. The generic name is derived from the word Zhucheng which refers to the type locality, and tyrant. The specific name magnus meaning "great" in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
refers to the relatively large size of Zhuchengtyrannus.
It is possible that several isolated teeth from the same quarry, previously given the name Tyrannosaurus zhuchengensis, belong to this or a related species. The T. zhuchengensis teeth are characterized by serrations which extend all the way to the base of the tooth crown, a feature not seen in any other tyrannosaurine species. All known teeth of Zhuchengtyrannus are too poorly preserved in this area to compare with T. zhuchengensis, but further finds may clarify their relationship.