Szechuanoraptor
Encyclopedia
"Szechuanoraptor" is the informal name given to an as yet undescribed genus
of dinosaur
from the Middle Jurassic
(Bathonian
to Callovian
stages
). It was a theropod which lived in what is now China
. The fossils were found in the Xiashaximiao Formation of Sichuan
.
The suggested "type species
", "Szechuanoraptor dongi", was coined by Daniel Chure in 2000, and is based on a partial skeleton, including most of the vertebrae, arm, leg, and hip bones. Other material assigned to the genus include "Szechuanosaurus yandonensis" and "Szechuanosaurus zigongensis". None of these species
have been fully described, and the genus remains a nomen nudum
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from the Middle Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
(Bathonian
Bathonian
In the geologic timescale the Bathonian is an age or stage of the Middle Jurassic. It lasted from approximately 167.7 Ma to around 164.7 Ma...
to Callovian
Callovian
In the geologic timescale, the Callovian is an age or stage in the Middle Jurassic, lasting between 164.7 ± 4.0 Ma and 161.2 ± 4.0 Ma. It is the last stage of the Middle Jurassic, following the Bathonian and preceding the Oxfordian....
stages
Faunal stage
In chronostratigraphy, a stage is a succession of rock strata laid down in a single age on the geologic timescale, which usually represents millions of years of deposition. A given stage of rock and the corresponding age of time will by convention have the same name, and the same boundaries.Rock...
). It was a theropod which lived in what is now China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The fossils were found in the Xiashaximiao Formation of Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
.
The suggested "type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
", "Szechuanoraptor dongi", was coined by Daniel Chure in 2000, and is based on a partial skeleton, including most of the vertebrae, arm, leg, and hip bones. Other material assigned to the genus include "Szechuanosaurus yandonensis" and "Szechuanosaurus zigongensis". None of these species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
have been fully described, and the genus remains a nomen nudum
Nomen nudum
The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...
.