Xingtianosaurus Explained

Xingtianosaurus is an extinct genus of oviraptorosaurian theropod dinosaur that lived in what is now China during the Early Cretaceous. The type and only species, X. ganqi, was named and described in 2019.^[1] It was placed in the Caudipteridae, alongside Caudipteryx and Similicaudipteryx.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Discovery and naming

The holotype specimen of Xingtianosaurus ganqi, IVPP V13390, was recovered in the Dakangpu Beds of the Yixian Formation in Liaoning Province, China. The name Xingtianosaurus refers to Xingtian, a Chinese deity who continued to fight after being decapitated. This name references the skull-less holotype. The epithet ganqi refers to the weapon, a battle axe, that Xingtian wielded.

Description

The holotype specimen is almost complete, missing only the skull, several vertebrae and the coracoids.

Notes and References

1. Rui Qiu . Xiaolin Wang . Qiang Wang . Ning Li . Jialiang Zhang . Yiyun Ma . 2019 . A new caudipterid from the Lower Cretaceous of China with information on the evolution of the manus of Oviraptorosauria . Scientific Reports . 9 . 1 . Article number 6431 . 10.1038/s41598-019-42547-6 . 31024012 . 6483983. 2019NatSR...9.6431Q .
2. Osmólska, H., Currie, P. J. & Brasbold, R. Oviraptorosauria. In The Dinosauria. 2nd edn (eds Weishampel, D., Dodson, P., & Osmólska, H.) 165–183 (University of California Press, 2004).
3. Lamanna M. C., Sues H. D., Schachner E. R., Lyson T. R. . 2014 . A new large-bodied oviraptorosaurian theropod dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of Western North America . PLOS ONE . 9 . 3 . e92022 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0092022 . 24647078 . 3960162. 2014PLoSO...992022L . free .
4. Funston G. F., Currie P. J. . 2016 . A new caenagnathid (Dinosauria: Oviraptorosauria) from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta, Canada, and a reevaluation of the relationships of Caenagnathidae . Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology . 36 . 4 . de1160910 . 10.1080/02724634.2016.1160910 . 131090028 .