Re: It Came From New Papers

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Jerry Harris wrote:

> Zhao, X., Li, D., Han, G., Hao, H., Liu, F., Li, L., and Fang, X. 2007. 
> _Zhuchengosaurus maximus_ from Shandong Province. Acta Geoscientia Sinica 
> 28(2): 111-122.
>
>  -- appears to be a hadrosaur, based on the English papers being cited in 
> the bibliography.

Indeed it is a hadrosaur.  Here's the abstract...

"_Zhuchengosaurus maximus_ Zhao [sic], gen. et sp. nov. was a mild 
herbivorous dinosaur, which lived in Zhucheng, Shandong Province in late 
Mesozoic 100 Ma.  The specimen is a skeleton assembled by parts collected 
from several individuals of the same species.  With a height of 9.1 m and a 
length of 16.6 m, it was the tallest individual among the ornithopods.  It 
had small forelimbs and tough hind legs and its sacra were forned by 6 cones 
[sic].  It is another new finding after the discovery of the giant 
_Shandongosaurus_ [sic]."

The abstract is a little short on details (*ahem*); but the size estimates, 
if true, are certainly impressive.  (Nearly 17 m long!)  However, I can't 
read Chinese so I can't determine (a) how the authors obtain their size 
estimates; (b) how much of the composite skeleton is based on real fossil 
material; or (c) how exactly _Zhuchengosaurus_ is distinct from 
_Shantungosaurus_ (they are both hadrosaurines).

I don't know of any ornithischians larger than "16.6 m".  Except for maybe 
_Hypsibema_.  Linear dimensions only tell part of the story, given that 
hadrosaurs had relatively big heads, short necks, and deep tails.  Thus, 
unlike sauropods, most of a hadrosaur's body length was not eaten up by a 
snakey neck and tail.  In other words, a 17m hadrosaur could easily kick the 
butt of a 17m sauropod.  It's a good thing that the authors describe 
_Zhuchengosaurus_ as "mild".    ;-)

Cheers

Tim

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