Yangchuanosaurus

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Yangchuanosaurus
Fossil range: Late Jurassic

Extinct (fossil)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Superorder:	Dinosauria
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Infraorder:	Carnosauria
Family:	Sinraptoridae
Genus:	Yangchuanosaurus Dong et al., 1978

Species

Y. shangyouensis (type)
Y. magnus Dong, Zhou & Zhang, 1983

Yangchuanosaurus was a theropod dinosaur that lived in China during the Late Jurassic period, and was similar in size and appearance to its North American contemporary, Allosaurus. It hails from the Upper Shaximiao Formation and was the largest predator in a landscape which included the sauropods Mamenchisaurus and Omeisaurus as well as the Stegosaurs Chialingosaurus, Tuojiangosaurus and Chungkingosaurus

1 Discovery and species
2 Paleobiology
3 Popular Culture
4 References

[edit] Discovery and species

In 1976, an almost complete skeleton of what was to be named Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis was uncovered by a construction worker during the construction of the Shangyou Reservoir Dam in Yangshuan County in Sichuan Province. Since then further skeletons have been recovered.

Yangchuanosaurus species

Y. shangyouensis Dong, Li, Zhou & Chang, 1979
Y. magnus Dong, Zhou & Zhang, 1983

[edit] Paleobiology

Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis reached about 7 metres long and had a skull around 80cm long. Its relative Y. magnus grew larger still; up to 10 metres long with a skull up to a metre in length. There was a bony knob on its nose and multiple hornlets and ridges, similar to Ceratosaurus. It had a massive tail that was about half its length. Its design seems to be more primitive than the true Allosaurids, and Yangchuanosaurus, along with similar theropods like Sinraptor, likely represent or are close to the direct Allosaurus ancestor. It likely hunted in packs and would have attacked with its large serrated teeth and sharp clawed fingers, capable of bringing down any ornithopod or weakened sauropod.

[edit] Popular Culture

The original skeleton of Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis is on display at the Municipal Museum of Chongqing, as is some material of Y. magnus. Another, recovered from Xuanhan County in Sichuan, is on display in the Beijing Museum of Natural History.