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New macronarian from the Middle Jurassic of Chongqing, China: phylogenetic and biogeographic implications for neosauropod dinosaur evolution

2022; Royal Society; Volume: 9; Issue: 11 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1098/rsos.220794

2054-5703

Hui Dai, Chao Tan, Can Xiong, Qingyu Ma, Ning Li, Haidong Yu, Zhaoying Wei, Ping Wang, Jian Yi, Guangbiao Wei, Hai‐Lu You, Xinxin Ren,

Evolution and Paleontology Studies

Macronaria is a clade of gigantic body-sized sauropod dinosaurs widely distributed from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous globally. However, its origin, early diversification, and dispersal are still controversial. Here, we report a new macronarian Yuzhoulong qurenensis gen. et sp. nov. excavated from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) Lower Shaximiao Formation. Yuzhoulong qurenensis bears a unique combination of features, such as two accessory fossae that exist on the posterior surface of dorsal diapophyses of anterior dorsal vertebrae. Results of phylogenetic analyses demonstrate it is one of the earliest-diverging macronarians. This new material represents a Middle Jurassic fossil record of macronarian sauropod worldwide and improves the understanding of the early diversity and dispersal of the Neosauropoda. This discovery further supports that sauropods achieved a more rapid and varied morphological diversity and palaeogeographical dispersal in the Middle Jurassic.