Zuolong, new basal coelurosaur from China

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler
bh480@scn.org

In case this paper has not been mentioned yet:


Jonah N. Choiniere; James M. Clark; Catherine A. Forster; 
Xing Xu , 2010.
A basal coelurosaur (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Late 
Jurassic (Oxfordian) of the Shishugou Formation in 
Wucaiwan, People's Republic of China.  
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 30(6):1773 - 1796 
(November 2010). 
DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2010.520779 

Abstract 
We describe a new coelurosaurian theropod, Zuolong 
salleei, gen. et sp. nov., from exposures of the upper 
part of the Shishugou Formation at the Wucaiwan locality, 
Xinjiang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. 
Zuolong has a large, inclined quadrate foramen that 
extends onto the medial surface of the quadratojugal, an 
unusually large fovea capitis on the femoral head, and an 
apomorphically large distal condyle of metatarsal III 
with a medially projecting flange on the extensor 
surface. Radiometric dating of the Shishugou Formation 
constrains the age of the specimen to the beginning of 
the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian). A cladistic analysis of 
Zuolong salleei in a broadly sampled theropod data matrix 
recovers it as a basal coelurosaur. These data make 
Zuolong one of the oldest coelurosaur fossils yet known 
that preserves both cranial and postcranial bones.  


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