Re: Szechuanosaurus

["Gigi Babcock or Ralph Miller III" <gbabcock@best.com>]

Anne Keller <akeller@havasu.k12.az.us> writes:

> Does anyone have any information on Szechuanosaurus?  My student found
> an article in a magazine about this dinosaur, but there seemed to be
> very little real information.  Anything would be helpful.
> Anne Keller
> Lake Havasu City, AZ

On page 290 of _Predatory Dinosaurs of the World_, ISBN 0-671-68733-6,
author Gregory S. Paul labels _Szechuanosaurus campi_ as a synonym of
_Metriacanthosaurus? sp._, and points out that the fine "jaguar-sized" type
specimen lacks a head.  Earlier "_Szechuanosaurus_" fossils consisted
merely of teeth.  Gregory S. Paul also places _Yangchuanosaurus_ species
within the _Metriacanthasurus_ genus, so presumably these were also
similar.  _Yangchuanosaurus_ is described as having a skull which shares
anatomical features with both _Ceratosaurus_ and _Abelisaurus_.

The out-of-print _Dinosaurs From China_, by Dong Zhiming, ISBN
0565-01073-5, includes a photograph of the mounted display specimen
(standing very upright, unfortunately, and presumably sporting a
speculative skull).

A quick search of the BFV Online also reveals the following books have
something on _Szechuanosaurus_:

Molnar, Ralph E., Sergey Mikhaylovich Kurzanov, and Dong Zhiming.  1990. 
Carnosauria.  pp. 169-209 in David B. Weishampel, et al. (eds.),  _The
Dinosauria_  University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, Oxford.

Sun Ailing, Li Jinling, Ye Xiangkui, Dong Zhiming, and Hou Lianhai.  1992. 
_The Chinese Fossil Reptiles and Their Kin_.  Science Press, Beijing & New
York.  260 pp.

Two papers are also listed in the Bibliography of Fossil Vertebrates,
including Dong Zhiming's 1983 anatomical study.  You will find these
references by searching on "taxon = 'Szechuanosaurus' " at
<http://eteweb.lscf.ucsb.edu/bfv/bfv_form.html>.

Happy hunting,
Ralph Miller III <gbabcock@best.com>