Altanulia Explained

Altanulia is an extinct genus of prehistoric amphibian.^[1]

Description

The holotype of Altanulia - PIN 553/300 -, consisting of an isolated 20 mm long maxilla bearing 45-47 teeth, was found by the Soviet-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition in the southern Gobi Desert, Nemegt Formation, and dates from the Upper Cretaceous (Upper Campanian-Lower Maastrichtian). Altanulia was diagnosed on the basis in the "Posterior part of maxilla deep, with longitudinal wedge-shaped labial depression; pterygoid tubercle of maxilla well expressed; frontal process in anterior part of bone."^[2]

Classification

Altanulia belongs to the Discoglossidae, due to the shape and structure of the lingual surface of its maxilla.

See also

• Prehistoric amphibian
• List of prehistoric amphibians

Notes and References

1. Web site: Altanulia Gubin, 1993a . Martín, C. . Sanchiz, B. . 2014 . Lisanfos KMS. Version 1.2. Online reference accessible at www.lisanfos.mncn.csic.es . Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN-CSIC, Madrid (Spain) . 9 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140309171853/http://www.lisanfos.mncn.csic.es/?module=taxon&id=310&lang=en . 2014-03-09 . dead .
2. Book: Benton. Michael J.. The Age of Dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia. Shishkin. Mikhail A.. Unwin. David M.. Kurochkin. Evgenii N.. 2003-12-04. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-54582-2. en.