Yunnan Province in China hosts several Economic and Technological Development Zones (ETDZs), each contributing to regional economic growth, industrial development, and international trade. Here are some notable ETDZs in Yunnan:

1. Kunming Economic and Technological Development Zone (KETDZ):
   • Location: Located in the southeastern part of Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan Province.
   • Focus: KETDZ prioritizes industries such as electronics, information technology, biomedicine, and modern logistics. It aims to attract high-tech enterprises and promote technological innovation.
2. Kunming Airport Economic Zone (KAEZ):
   • Location: Adjacent to Kunming Changshui International Airport, about 24 kilometers northeast of Kunming City.
   • Focus: KAEZ leverages the airport’s transportation hub status to promote industries like aviation services, aerospace, logistics, and high-end manufacturing. It supports international trade and investment.
3. Yuxi Economic and Technological Development Zone:
   • Location: Situated in the central part of Yuxi City, southwest of Kunming.
   • Focus: Yuxi ETDZ emphasizes industries such as new materials, advanced equipment manufacturing, and modern agriculture. It aims to enhance industrial transformation, technological upgrading, and environmental sustainability.
4. Chuxiong Economic and Technological Development Zone:
   • Location: Located in Chuxiong City, central Yunnan Province.
   • Focus: Chuxiong ETDZ focuses on agricultural processing, biotechnology, cultural tourism, and environmental protection industries. It aims to promote balanced regional development and enhance local economic competitiveness.
5. Songming Yanglin Experimental Zone for County & Township Industries:
   • Location: Situated in Songming County, northwest of Kunming.
   • Focus: This experimental zone supports the development of county and township industries, emphasizing agricultural modernization, rural tourism, and cultural heritage preservation.
6. Jiegao Border Trade Economic Zone:
   • Location: Located in Jiegao Town, on the border with Myanmar in western Yunnan.
   • Focus: Jiegao Border Trade ETDZ facilitates cross-border trade, logistics, and tourism. It serves as a gateway for economic cooperation between Yunnan Province and Southeast Asia.
7. Hekou Border Economic Cooperation Zone:
   • Location: Situated in Hekou Yao Autonomous County, bordering Vietnam in southern Yunnan.
   • Focus: Hekou Border ETDZ promotes border trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between China and Vietnam. It enhances economic integration and cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

These ETDZs in Yunnan Province play critical roles in attracting investment, promoting industrial transformation, fostering innovation, and facilitating international trade. They contribute significantly to Yunnan’s economic development strategies and regional prosperity.

Tourism and Vacation Zones

• Kunming Dianchi Tourism & Vacation Zone
• Kunming Airport Economic Zone
• Cang Mountain & Erhai Lake Tourism and Vacation Zone at Dali
• Xishuangbanna Tourism and Vacation Zone
• Tengchong Tourism and Vacation Zone
• Yangzonghai Lake Tourism and Vacation Zone
• Fuxian Lake Tourism and Vacation Zone

These zones are integral to Yunnan’s strategy for economic growth, international trade facilitation, and tourism development, leveraging the province’s diverse resources and strategic location.

Yunnanosaurus (/ˌjuːnænoʊˈsɔːrəs/ YOO-nan-o-SAWR-əs) is an extinct genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived approximately 201 to 168 million years ago in what is now the Yunnan Province, in China. Yunnanosaurus was a large sized, moderately-built, ground-dwelling, quadrupedal herbivore, that could also walk bipedally, and ranged in size from 7 meters (23 feet) long and 2 m (6.5 ft) high to 4 m (13 ft) high in the largest species.

Discovery

Yang Zhongjian (also known as C. C. Young) discovered the first Yunnanosaurus skeletons in the Lufeng Formation of Yunnan, China. The fossil find was composed of over twenty incomplete skeletons, including two skulls, it was excavated by Tsun Yi Wang. When first discovered, Yunnanosaurus was considered to be closely related to Lufengosaurus, but more recent research by Novas et al. (2011) shows that it is most closely related to Anchisaurus and Jingshanosaurus.

Description

Dentition

There were more than sixty spoon shaped teeth in the jaws of Yunnanosaurus, and were unique among early sauropodomorphs in that its teeth were self-sharpening because they “[wore] against each other as the animal fed.”^[2] Scientists consider these teeth to be advanced compared to other early sauropodomorphs, as they share features with the sauropods.^[2] However, scientists do not consider Yunnanosaurus to be especially close to the sauropods in phylogeny because the remaining portions of the animals body are distinctly “prosauropod” in design.^[2] This critical difference implies that the similarity in dentition between Yunnanosaurus and sauropods might be an example of convergent evolution.^[2]

Yunnanosaurus youngi

In 2007, Lü Junchang and colleagues described another species of Yunnanosaurus, Y. youngi (named in honor of C. C. Young). In addition to various skeletal differences, at 13 meters (42 ft) long Y. youngi was significantly larger than Y. huangi (which reached only 7 meters [23 ft]). Y. youngi is found later in the fossil record, hailing from the Middle Jurassic. The holotype specimen CXMVZA 185 consists of ten cervical vertebrae, fourteen dorsal vertebrae, three fused sacral vertebrae, seventeen caudal vertebrae, both pubic bones, both ischia, and the right illium. The skull of this species is not known.^[3]

Juvenile Specimen ZMNH-M8739

In 2013, Sekiya et al. described the discovery of a juvenile individual which was assigned to what the authors termed “Yunnanosaurus robustus” (i.e. Y. huangi).^{[Note 1]}Specimen ZMNH-M8739 consists of partial cranial material and an almost complete post-cranial skeleton. This individual possesses characteristic dentition that suggests a potentially unique feeding mechanism as evidenced a tooth–tooth wear facet on its mesial maxillary and dentary teeth, and maxillary teeth that have coarse serrations. Comparison of this juvenile specimen with adult specimens of Yunnanosaurus huangi reveals very distinctive growth changes.^[4]

Classification

The type species, Y. huangi, was named by C. C. Young in 1942, who erected the family Yunnanosauridae to contain it, though the family currently comprises only this genus and sometimes Jingshanosaurus.^[5] Young also named a second species, Y. robustus, in 1951,^[2][6] but this has since been included in the type species.^[2] The confusion in classification arose due to that the earliest specimens of Y. huangi were of juveniles individuals while the “Y. robustus” specimens represented fully grown adults.^[2]Yunnanosaurus had been assigned to several taxa over the years, including Thecodontosauridae and Plateosauridae, but more recent phylogenetic analysis conducted by Novas et al. (2011) shows that this genus is part of the taxon Massopodain a clade with Anchisaurus and Jingshanosaurus.^[1] Apaldetti et al. (2011) also found that Yunnanosaurus belonged in Massopoda, but found that this genus was more primitive than both Jingshanosaurus and Anchisaurus.^[7]

Distinguishing anatomical features

A diagnosis is a statement of the anatomical features of an organism (or group) that collectively distinguish it from all other organisms. Some, but not all, of the features in a diagnosis are also autapomorphies. An autapomorphy is a distinctive anatomical feature that is unique to a given organism.

According to Sekiya et al. (2013), Yunnanosaurus can be distinguished from other dinosaurs based on the following characteristics:

• the absence of the anteroposterior expansion on the medial end of the astragalus
• the medium shaft of the metatarsal IV is dorsoventrally compressed

According to Lu et a. (2007), Yunnanosaurus youngi can be distinguished from Yunnanosaurus huangi based on the following characteristics:

• the sixth cervical vertebra is the longest among the vertebral column
• the neural spines of the posterior cervical vertebrae are short with an expanded distal end, which is wider than its anteroposterior length
• three sacral vertebrae are tightly fused with a stout sacrocostal yoke
• the ventral margin of the postacetabular process of the ilium is slightly concave
• the ischium is longer than the pubis
• the distal end of the pubis is round

Paleoecology

Provenance and occurrence

The type specimens of Yunnanosaurus huangi and Yunnanosaurus robustus were recovered in the Huangchiatien (Dahungtien) locality of the Lufeng Formation in Yunnan, China. The Y. huangi holotype specimen IVPP V20 and the Y. robustus holotype specimen IVPP V93, were collected by Chung Chien Young in terrestrial sediments from the upper dark/deep red beds of the Zhangjiawa Member of this formation, that are believed to have been deposited during the Sinemurian stage of the Jurassic period, approximately 199 to 190 million years ago.^[8] Several other specimens assigned to Y. huangi (IVPP V54, IVPP V47, IVPP V61, IVPP V62, IVPP V63, IVPP V96, IVPP V264), and Y. robustus (IVPP V39, IVPP V94) were also recovered by Young in this locality. These specimens are all housed in the collection of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, in Beijing, China. In the years to come several more specimens assigned to these two species were recovered from Zhangjiawa Member of this formation.

Chung Chien Young had also explored the lower dark/dull purple beds of the Shawan Member of the Lufeng Formation and found more specimens that he later assigned to Y. huangi. Specimen IVPP V32 was collected by Young in 1938 in dark red, argillaceous sandstone that is believed to have been deposited during the Hettangian stage of the Jurassic period, approximately 201 to 199 million years ago.^[8] Specimens IVPP V57, IVPP V60 and IVPP V272 were collected by Young in blue mudstone from the same formation and were also assigned to Y. huangi. These specimens from the Shawan Member are also housed in the collection of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology.

The type specimen of Yunnanosaurus youngi was recovered at the Banqing Houshanliangzi locality of the Zhanghe Formation, in Yuanmou County of Yunnan Province, China. The holotype specimen CXMVZA 185 was collected in 2000 in terrestrial sediments deposited during the Aalenian and Bajocian stages of the Middle Jurassicperiod, approximately 174 to 168 million years ago. This specimen is housed in the collection of the Chuxiong Museum.

Fauna and habitat

Yunnanosaurus huangi and Yunnanosaurus robustus shared their paleoenvironment with the ornithischians Bienosaurus, and Tatisaurus, the sauropodomorphsGyposaurus, Lufengosaurus, and Jingshanosaurus, and the theropods Sinosaurus triassicus and Eshanosaurus.

Notes

Yunnanolepis is an extinct genus of primitive antiarch placoderm. The fossils of the various species are found in Early to Middle Devonian strata in Southern China and Middle Devonian strata in Vietnam. Yunnanolepis is a genus of early vertebrate fish known from Yunnan Province, China.

Yizhousaurus is a genus of basal sauropodiform dinosaurs which existed in what is now Lower Lufeng Formation, Yunnan Province of southern China during the lower Jurassic period. Identified from a nearly complete and exquisitely preserved skeleton, it is the most complete basal sauropod currently known with intact skull. Although its name was revealed in a 2010 Geological Society of America abstract by Sankar Chatterjee, T. Wang, S.G. Pan, Z. Dong, X.C. Wu, and Paul Upchurch, it wasn’t validly named and described until 2018. The type species is Yizhousaurus sunae.

Yimenosaurus (meaning “Yiman reptile”) is an extinct genus of plateosaurid sauropodomorph dinosaur that lived in China in the Early Jurassic. The genus was first named in 1990 by Ziqi Bai, Jie Yang and Guohui Wang, along with its type and only species, Yimenosaurus youngi. The species name honours renowned Chinese paleontologist Yang Zhongjian, the father of Chinese paleontology, known as C.C. Young in English. Known material includes the holotype, an almost complete skull and mandible, as well as incomplete cervical and dorsal vertebrae, a mostly complete sacrum, an ilium, ischia, partial ribs and complete femur, and a paratype, a well-preserved postcrania with a fragmentary skull.

Discovery and naming

Known from two specimens, Yimenosaurus is relatively complete for its type of sauropodomorph. The specimens were described originally in 1990 by Ziqi Bai, Jie Yang and Guohui Wang, and the describers named for them a complete binomial, Yimenosaurus youngi. Bai et al. created the genus name from Yimen county, the place of discovery in Yunnan Province, and the Latin word saurus, meaning “reptile”. For the species, it was chosen to honour Yang Zhongjian, the father and founder of all Chinese paleontology, who was well known for his work on “prosauropods”, and called in English C.C. Young. Of the two specimens, the holotype was chosen, known from a more complete skull. The holotype, YXV 8701, is known from a complete skull and mandibleonly lacking the anterior end of the jaw and minor fragments of bone around the orbit, as well as the postcranial elements of fragmentary cervical and dorsal vertebrae, all sacral vertebrae, an ilium, both ischia, a complete femur, and incomplete and damaged ribs. YXV8702, the paratype, is known from an only incomplete skull, many cervical and dorsal vertebrae, three sacrals, a few caudal vertebrae, a scapula-coracoid, an entire pelvis, and almost both entire hindlimbs.

Discovery and Naming

• Discovery: Fossils of Yimenosaurus were discovered in the Lower Jurassic-aged rock formations of Yimen County, Yunnan Province, China.
• Name Origin: The genus name “Yimenosaurus” is derived from “Yimen,” the county where it was discovered, and “saurus,” meaning lizard in Greek.

Physical Characteristics

• Anatomy: Yimenosaurus is known from relatively complete skeletons, including elements of the skull, vertebrae, ribs, and limbs.
• Size: It was a medium-sized sauropodomorph dinosaur, comparable in size to other early sauropodomorphs, reaching lengths of about 6–8 meters (20–26 feet).

Classification

• Sauropodomorph Dinosaur: Yimenosaurus belongs to the sauropodomorphs, a group of herbivorous dinosaurs characterized by their long necks, long tails, and large bodies.
• Position: It is considered an early sauropodomorph and is closely related to other basal sauropodomorphs from the Early Jurassic period.

Paleoecology

• Habitat: During the Early Jurassic period, Yunnan was characterized by a warm, humid climate with lush vegetation. Yimenosaurus would have inhabited this terrestrial environment.
• Contemporary Fauna: Yimenosaurus coexisted with other dinosaurs such as Lufengosaurus, Xingxiulong, early theropods, and various other herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs.

Significance

• Early Sauropodomorph Diversity: Yimenosaurus contributes to our understanding of the early diversification of sauropodomorph dinosaurs. Its discovery in Yunnan expands the geographic range and temporal distribution of early sauropodomorphs.
• Paleontological Importance of Yunnan: The discovery of Yimenosaurus in Yunnan highlights the region’s significance in preserving Early Jurassic dinosaurs. It provides insights into the evolution and ecology of sauropodomorphs during this period.

Yimenosaurus is an important fossil find that adds to our knowledge of sauropodomorph dinosaurs and the ancient ecosystems of Yunnan Province, China.

Xixiposaurus is a genus of prosauropod dinosaur which existed in what is now Lower Lufeng Formation, China during the lower Jurassic period.^[1] It was first named by Sekiya Toru in 2010 and the type species is Xixiposaurus suni.

Where was it found?

The remains of Xixiposaurus were found in 1984 at the Yujingzi Basin in China. These fossils were uncovered within layers of rock known as the Early Cretaceous Huiquanpu Formation, which has proven rich in specimens. Thanks, to preserved findings of Xixiposaurus scientists have gained valuable insights into its anatomy and behavior.

Located in Chinas Gansu Province these creatures roamed the Earth 160 million years ago during the Jurassic period. Belonging to the Oviraptorosauria family this dinosaur was estimated to reach a height of, around 1 meter and a length of 2 meters. It had a diet that consisted of plants possibly supplemented with insects or animals.

Characteristic and Behavior

One of the characteristics of Xixiposaurus is its feathered body. Chinese paleontologists discovered this in 2012 when they unearthed the dinosaur’s remains. Recent research has confirmed that this dinosaur was indeed covered in feathers making it one of the known feathered dinosaurs.

Another intriguing feature of Xixiposaurus is its slender snout indicating that it may have been selective in its omnivorous diet choices. Its teeth were serrated, suggesting it possessed a biting force and could consume vegetation.

How do Feathers develop?

The finding of this dinosaur has provided insights into dinosaur evolution. Its feathered body suggests a link to birds as an ancestor. Scientists believe it offers a glimpse, into how dinosaurs developed feathers during their early stages. Interestingly the fossils of Xixiposaurus contained the remains of dinosaurs suggesting that it might have lived in groups or packs similar, to how many modern birds exhibit behaviors.

What did it look like?

The Xixiposaurus was a dinosaur measuring around six feet in length. It had a body, and a tail and stood on two legs. Its front limbs were shorter than its hind limbs allowing it to move swiftly on two legs. Its skull was. Featured a snout. Interestingly it possessed a beak without teeth that it used for consuming vegetation.

Physical Characteristics of the Xixiposaurus

This creature was classified as a dinosaur with an approximate length of 6.5 feet. It had a head, a neck, and a relatively short tail. The dinosaur had a physique. It is categorized as an ornithopod dinosaur due to its bird-like hip structure.

Diet and Behavior of the Xixiposaurus

Scientists deduce from the shape of its teeth that the Xixiposaurus was an herbivore primarily relying on plants, for sustenance. The dinosaur likely utilized its beak to consume vegetation while using its molars to grind it up. Not much information is available, about the behavior of this dinosaur. It is believed that this dinosaur was a creature that lived in groups.

What did it eat?

As mentioned before the Xixiposaurus was a dinosaur that primarily consumed plants. Its beak, which lacked teeth suggests that it used its mouth to trim vegetation. During the period the Yujingzi Basin was rich with forests and abundant plant life for the Xixiposaurus to feed on.

Significance of the Xixiposaurus

The discovery of these dinosaurs carries importance for many reasons. Firstly it contributes to our knowledge of the range of dinosaur species that thrived during the Mesozoic era. Additionally, it offers insights into the evolution of dinosaurs which were among the most successful dinosaur groups. Moreover finding Xixiposaurus fossils in the Lianmuqin Formation indicates that this region experienced levels of dinosaur diversity during the Cretaceous period.

Despite its stature, It holds value within scientific circles. As an unearthed species it enhances our understanding of dinosaur evolution and diversity throughout the period. Through analyzing its anatomy we can gain insights, into how ornithopods adapted to their changing environment over time.

Future of Xixiposaurus Research

Similar to dinosaur species there are still many unknowns, about the Xixiposaurus. Scientists will continue examining these fossils to gain insights into the traits, behaviors, and ecological roles of this dinosaur. This research has the potential to unveil revelations about the path of ornithopod dinosaurs and deepen our understanding of biodiversity during the Mesozoic era.

Respiratory Adaptation

Belonging to the sauropod group renowned for their necks and tails one distinctive feature of this dinosaur was its adaptation. It possessed breathing tubes that extended from its nostrils to its lungs functioning as a snorkel that allowed it to breathe while submerged in water.

Close Relationship

It shared a kinship with another sauropod called Mamenchisaurus. Both dinosaurs exhibited characteristics such as necks, tails, and dentition.

Communication:

Like dinosaurs, it is speculated that these creatures utilized vocalizations as a means of communication with other members of their species. However, due to the preservation of tissues, in dinosaur fossils determining what these vocalizations sounded like remains challenging.

Discovery and Naming

The genus Xixiposaurus was named in 1983 by Dong Zhiming. Fossils were found in the Lower Lufeng Formation of Yunnan, which dates to the Sinemurian stage of the Early Jurassic.

Description

Xixiposaurus is characterized by its medium size and typical features of basal sauropodomorphs. It likely had a bipedal stance, though some remains suggest it might have been capable of quadrupedal locomotion.

Paleobiology

Like other sauropodomorphs of its time, Xixiposaurus was herbivorous and would have grazed on vegetation. Its skeletal structure indicates adaptations for supporting its body weight and efficient locomotion.

Paleoecology

The Lower Lufeng Formation in Yunnan, where Xixiposaurus fossils were found, is known for its rich dinosaur fauna. It includes other sauropodomorphs like Lufengosaurus, Yunnanosaurus, and Jingshanosaurus, as well as various theropods and early mammals.

Significance

Xixiposaurus contributes to our understanding of the early evolution of sauropodomorph dinosaurs in Asia, particularly in the context of the diverse fauna of the Early Jurassic Yunnan ecosystem.

Xingxiulong (meaning “Xingxiu Bridge dragon”) is a genus of bipedal sauropodiform from the Early Jurassic of China. It contains a single species, X. chengi, described by Wang et al. in 2017 from three specimens, two adults and an immature individual, that collectively constitute a mostly complete skeleton. Adults of the genus measured 4–5 metres (13–16 ft) long and 1–1.5 metres (3 ft 3 in–4 ft 11 in) tall. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Xingxiulong is most closely related to its contemporary Jingshanosaurus, although an alternative position outside of both the Sauropodiformes and Massospondylidae is also plausible.

Despite their close relationship, Xingxiulong prominently differs from Jingshanosaurus – and from most basal sauropodomorphs – in having a number of sauropod-like traits. These include a sacrum containing four vertebrae; a pubis with an exceptionally long top portion; and the femur, the first and fifth metatarsals on the foot, and the scapula being wide and robust. These probably represent adaptations to supporting high body weight, in particular a large gut. Unlike sauropods, however, Xingxiulong would still have been bipedal.

Description

Xingxiulong was a medium-sized sauropodiform, with an adult length of 4–5 metres (13–16 ft) and a height of 1–1.5 metres (3 ft 3 in–4 ft 11 in) at the tip. The two larger specimens, LFGT-D0002 and LFGT-D0003, are adults judging by the complete fusion in their skull; the third specimen, LFGT-D0001, is 14% smaller and probably represents a subadult judging by the incomplete fusion in the vertebrae.

Skull and jaw

Unlike the contemporary Lufengosaurus, Xingxiulong does not have a ridge on the side of its maxilla. Eleven tooth sockets are preserved along the length of the maxilla. Further back, in front of the eye socket, the lacrimal bears a prominent projection near the top of its front end, which is also seen in Lufengosaurus, Adeopapposaurus, Massospondylus, and Riojasaurus, but not Yunnanosaurus, Jingshanosaurus, or subsequent sauropodiforms. The contact surface between the jugal bone and postorbital bone is fairly long, like Lufengosaurus but not Yunnanosaurus. Among the three branches of the jugal, the backwards-directed branch forms an angle of 80° with the upwards-projecting branch, which is similar to Plateosaurus and Thecodontosaurus but much larger than other sauropodomorphs.

At the base of the skull, the quadratojugal bears two branches, one pointing forwards and one upwards; they are roughly perpendicular to each other, unlike Lufengosaurus (angle of 45°), Yunnanosaurus (angle of 60°), and Jingshanosaurus (angle of 110°). Above the quadratojugal, the quadrate has two articulating condyles, a subtriangular one facing outward and a more rounded one facing inwards; the latter condyle is placed closer to the bottom, like Lufengosaurus and Yunnanosaurus but not Plateosaurus. At the back of the skull, between the parietals and supraoccipitals, there is a prominently developed postparietal fenestra; the supraoccipital itself slopes forwards at its bottom end so as to round off the base of the skull. The basipterygoid processes are long, slender, and project downwards and outwards like Plateosaurus and unlike Lufengosaurus and Jingshanosaurus, forming an angle of 80° with each other.

Compared to Lufengosaurus, Yunnanosaurus, and Jingshanosaurus, the angular and surangular extend much further in front of the mandibular fenestra in Xingxiulong, which is closer to Adeopapposaurus and Plateosaurus. The articular bears an inward-projecting and pyramidal process as an extension of the jaw joint; at its back end, it also possesses an upward-directed and tab-like process, which is also seen in Coloradisaurus, Jingshanosaurus, and an as-of-yet unnamed sauropodomorph.

Paleobiology

The overall robustness of the skeleton of Xingxiulong, especially in the hip, femur, and foot, are convergent upon sauropods, and collectively suggest that it had a relatively large gut and overall high body mass. However, unlike sauropods, Xingxiulong would have been bipedal; it lacks sauropodan adaptations to quadrupedalismincluding relatively longer forelimbs, the ulna bearing a prominent process on the front of its side, and the femur having a relatively straight shaft.^[19] Instead, its ulna and femur are overall more reminiscent of the typical basal sauropodomorph. The large and robust scapulae of Xingxiulong, Jingshanosaurus, and Yunnanosaurus may have increased the mobility of the forelimb during bipedal browsing, but this trait was later adopted as an adaptation to quadrupedality in sauropods.

Paleoecology

The Lufeng Formation contains mudstones and siltstones from lakes, rivers, and overbank deposits. Many sauropodomorphs asides from Xingxiulong are known from the Lufeng Formation, including Lufengosaurus huenei, L. magnus, Yunnanosaurus huangi, “Gyposaurus” sinensis, Jingshanosaurus xinwaensis, Chuxiongosaurus lufengensis, Xixiposaurus suni, “Yizhousaurus sunae”, and Pachysuchus imperfectus. Also present are the theropods Sinosaurus triassicus, Lukousaurus yini,Shidaisaurus jinae, and Eshanosaurus deguchiianus; the ornithischians Tatisaurus oehleri and Bienosaurus lufengensis; the crocodylomorphsDibothrosuchus elaphros, Platyognathus hsui, Microchampsa scutata, and Dianosuchus changchiawaensis, and Dianchungosaurus lufengensis; the indeterminate archosaur Strigosuchus licinus; the sphenodontians Clevosaurus petilus, C. wangi, and C. mcgilli; the tritylodontid cynodonts Bienotherium yunnanense, B. minor, B. magnum, Lufengia deltcata, Yunnanodon brevirostre, and Dianzhongia longirostrata; the mammals Sinoconodon rigneyi, Morganucodon oehleri, M. heikoupengensis, and Kunminia minima; proganochelyid turtles; and a “labyrinthodont” amphibian.

Discovery and Naming

• Discovery: Fossils of Xingxiulong were discovered in the Lower Jurassic-aged rock formations of the Lufeng Basin in Yunnan Province, China.
• Name Origin: The genus name “Xingxiulong” combines “Xingxiu,” referring to a renowned geologist in China, and “long,” meaning dragon in Mandarin Chinese.

Physical Characteristics

• Anatomy: Xingxiulong is known from a partial skeleton, including elements of the skull, vertebrae, ribs, and limbs. It represents a relatively small ceratopsian dinosaur.
• Size: The size of Xingxiulong is estimated to have been comparable to other small ceratopsians, likely reaching a length of several meters.

Classification

• Ceratopsian Dinosaur: Xingxiulong belongs to the Ceratopsia, a group of herbivorous dinosaurs characterized by their beaked skulls and often elaborate frills and horns.
• Basal Position: It is considered a basal member within Ceratopsia, indicating it represents an early stage in the evolution of this dinosaur group.

Paleoecology

• Habitat: During the Early Jurassic period, Yunnan was characterized by a warm, humid climate with lush vegetation. Xingxiulong would have inhabited this terrestrial environment.
• Contemporary Fauna: Xingxiulong coexisted with other dinosaurs such as prosauropods like Lufengosaurus, early theropods, and various other herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs.

Significance

• Early Ceratopsian Diversity: Xingxiulong contributes to our understanding of the early diversification of ceratopsian dinosaurs. Its discovery in Yunnan expands the geographic range and temporal distribution of early ceratopsians.
• Paleontological Importance of Yunnan: The discovery of Xingxiulong in Yunnan underscores the region’s significance in preserving Early Jurassic dinosaurs. It highlights the diversity of dinosaurs during this period and provides insights into their evolution and ecology.

Xingxiulong represents an important discovery in the study of Early Jurassic dinosaurs, particularly within the Ceratopsia. Its fossils contribute valuable information about the early stages of ceratopsian evolution and the ancient ecosystems of Yunnan Province, China.

Xiangshuiosteus wui is a brachythoracid arthrodire placoderm from the Late Emsian epoch of Wuding, Yunnan. It has recently been reassessed as a dunkleosteid.

Specimen and taxonomy

X. wui is known from a flattened, “Buddhist cap” shaped skull roof. The skull roof is strongly reminiscent of those of coccosteids, but also has anatomical features otherwise diagnostic of buchanosteids. This mix of anatomy lead its describer, Wang Junqing, to suggest that X. wui is the sister taxon of Coccosteidae, and represents a transitional form between Coccosteidae and Buchanosteidae. A reappraisal of Kiangyousteus and several other eubrachythoracid arthrodire genera by You-An Zhu and Min Zhu lead to the conclusion that X. wui not only does not represent a transitional form between coccosteids and buchanosteids, but is actually a dunkleosteid closely related to the Gogo Reef Eastmanosteus calliaspis (which is, in turn, implied to be not of the genus Eastmanosteus).

Etymology

The generic name literally translates as “Chinese: 香水; literally: ‘perfume'(Pinyin:Xiāngshuǐ) + bone,” but actually refers to Xiangshui Valley, the district in Wuding County where the holotype was found. The specific name honors Wu Baosheng, the gentleman who provided the holotype to Wang Junqing, the species’ describer.

Discovery and Naming

• Initial Discovery: Fossils of Xiangshuiosteus were discovered in the Devonian-aged rock formations in Yunnan Province, China.
• Name Origin: The genus name “Xiangshuiosteus” is derived from “Xiangshui,” referring to the region where the fossils were found, and “osteus,” meaning bone in Greek.

Physical Characteristics

• Anatomy: As an arthrodire placoderm, Xiangshuiosteus had a heavily armored head and thorax, with a more flexible, unarmored body. Its jaws were equipped with bony plates that functioned as teeth.
• Size: The exact size of Xiangshuiosteus is not well-documented, but typical arthrodires varied from small to medium-sized fish, with some reaching several meters in length.

Classification

• Arthrodire Placoderm: Xiangshuiosteus belongs to the arthrodire order of placoderms, which were among the dominant vertebrates during the Devonian period. Arthrodires are characterized by their jointed bony armor covering the head and thorax.

Paleoecology

• Habitat: During the Devonian period, Yunnan was part of a marine environment rich in biodiversity. Xiangshuiosteus would have lived in these ancient seas, alongside other placoderms, early bony fish, and various invertebrates.
• Contemporary Fauna: Xiangshuiosteus shared its habitat with other marine life forms typical of the Devonian period, including various other placoderms, acanthodians (spiny sharks), and early actinopterygians (ray-finned fish).

Significance

• Evolutionary Importance: The discovery of Xiangshuiosteus contributes to our understanding of the diversity and distribution of arthrodire placoderms during the Devonian period. It provides insights into the evolutionary history of early jawed vertebrates.
• Fossil Record in Yunnan: The fossil record in Yunnan, including finds like Xiangshuiosteus, highlights the region’s significance as a site for Devonian marine life. These fossils help paleontologists piece together the ancient ecosystems that existed in what is now southwestern China.

Xiangshuiosteus is an important genus for studying the evolution of early jawed vertebrates and the biodiversity of the Devonian seas. Its fossils in Yunnan contribute to the rich paleontological heritage of the region.

Tatisaurus is a genus of ornithischian dinosaur from the Early Jurassic from the Lower Lufeng Formation in Yunnan Province in China. Little is known as the remains are fragmentary.

Discovery and species

In 1948 and 1949 Father Edgar Oehler, a Catholic priest working for the Fu Jen Catholic University at Beijing, excavated fossils near the village of Da Di in Yunnan. Among them was the jaw bone of a herbivorous dinosaur. In 1965 David Jay Simmons named and described it as the type species Tatisaurus oehleri. The generic name is derived from Da Di, then more usually spelled as “Ta Ti”. The specific name honours Oehler. The holotype, FMNH CUP 2088, was found in the Zhangjiawa Beds of the Lufeng Formation, dating from the Sinemurian. It consists of a partial left mandible with teeth. The lower jaw bone fragment is, lacking the tip, six centimetres long. The teeth are eroded. It is the only specimen known of the species.

Simmons assigned Tatisaurus to the Hypsilophodontidae, though this group was seen by him as an evolutionary grade of “primitive” Ornithopoda, ancestral to several ornithischian groups. He felt that Tatisaurus’ affinities were with Scelidosaurus or the Ankylosauria. Later, in 1990, the specimen was reviewed by Dong Zhiming, who noted it had similarities with Huayangosaurus. He placed the two genera in the same subfamily, the Huayangosaurinae, within the Stegosauria.

Later still, in 1996, Spencer Lucas reclassified Tatisaurus oehleri as a species of Scelidosaurus, S. oehleri, in order to use Scelidosaurus for a biochron. In 2007, David B. Norman and colleagues regarded this as unfounded. They instead found Tatisaurus to be a dubious basal thyreophoran, showing a single thyreophorean synapomorphy; a ventrally deflected mesial end of the dentary. If considered a thyreophoran, it would be one of the oldest known members of the group.

Sinosaurus (meaning “Chinese lizard”) was a tetanuran theropod dinosaur which lived during the Early Jurassic Period. It was a bipedal carnivore approximately 5.6 metres (18 feet) in length. Fossils of the animal were found at the Lufeng Formation, in the Yunnan Province of China.

Description

According to Carrano et al. (2012) D. sinensis, now considered to be at least congeneric with Sinosaurus triassicus, can be distinguished based on the fact that a vertical groove is present on the lateral premaxilla adjacent to contact with the maxilla. Sinosaurus is the only “dilophosaurid” known from a complete braincase. Cryolophosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Zupaysaurus and Coelophysis kayentakatae are all known from partial braincases. Two partial braincases were found before 2012, and are probably mostly complete, except that large sections are obscured by sediments. In 2011, an exceptionally well-preserved braincase was found, only missing the frontal bones and orbitosphenoid.

Discovery and naming

KMV 8701 was originally discovered in 1987. The specimen was identified as a new species, and was named Dilophosaurus sinensis. Then in 1994, during a field expedition, a more complete specimen was found, and was assigned to the same species. In 2003, Dong Zhiming studied the material of Sinosaurus, finding it to be quite similar to Dilophosaurus sinensis. As Sinosaurus was named earlier, by Young in 1948, “Dilophosaurus” sinensis became its junior synonym. The composite term Sinosaurus comes from Sinae, the Latin word for the Chinese, and the Greek word sauros (σαυρος) meaning “lizard”; thus “Chinese lizard”. The specific name, triassicus, refers to the Triassic, the period that the fossils were originally thought to date from. Sinosaurus was described and named by Chung Chien Young, who is known as the ‘Father of Chinese Vertebrate Paleontology’, in 1948.

Over the years, paleontologists referred additional specimens to D. sinensis which are now assigned to Sinosaurus. Dong (2003) referred specimen LDM-LCA10 which consists of a skull and an incomplete skeleton. In 2012, Xing referred two individuals, ZLJ0003 which consists of a partial skull and an incomplete skeleton, and ZLJT01 which is a juvenile individual that consists of a premaxillary fragment, an incomplete maxilla, a maxillary fragment, a lacrimal, both frontals, both parietals, an incomplete braincase, an incomplete dentary, an atlantal intercentrum, two dorsal rib fragments, and a partial proximal caudal neural arch, to Sinosaurus.

The holotype, IVPP V34, was found in the Lower Lufeng Formation, and consists of two maxillary (upper jaw) fragments, four maxillary teeth, and a lower jaw fragment with three teeth. The teeth are laterally compressed, and feature fine serrations both at their anterior and posterior edges. The teeth are also variable in size and are curved backwards. This material is too fragmentary to determine the length and weight of this dinosaur. Over the years, other fossils were referred to Sinosaurus, some of which were material that was shown to belong to two sauropodomorphs. The fossils include a postcrania, with a sacrum with three preserved sacral vertebrae. The material assigned to “Sinosaurus postcrania” includes a mix of plateosaurid and melanorosaurid elements. All the material from the Red Beds block has now been reassigned to Jingshanosaurus.

Shaojin Hu (1993) assigned specimen KMV 8701 to Dilophosaurus sinensis. In 2013, a study by Currie et al., confirmed that D. sinensis was the same animal as Sinosaurus triassicus On the other hand, Wang et al. (2017) stated that it needs to be further investigated whether D. sinensis is indeed a junior synonym of S. triassicus, and noted that the two species are different at least in the anatomy of the premaxilla. The authors tentatively assigned D. sinensis to the genus Sinosaurus, but retained it as a species distinct from Sinosaurus triassicus. Specimen KMV 8701 consists of a skull (measuring 525 mm), and is nearly complete. The specimen KMV 8701 is about 5.6 m (18 ft) long, meaning Sinosaurus was about that length. KMV 8701 has been assigned now to Sinosaurus, but the specimen still lacks sufficient description and preparation. In 2012, a new specimen of Sinosaurus was described, and was found to represent a new species.

Sinopeltosaurus is a dubious genus of extinct scelidosaurid ornithischian dinosaur described by Roman Ulansky. The type and only species is S. minimus of the lower Jurassic Lufeng Formation of Yunnan China, based on an articulated set of ankle bones. In 2016, Peter Malcolm Galton and Kenneth Carpenter identified it as a nomen dubium, and listed it as Ornithischia indet., possible Thyreophora indet. Ulansky variously referred to it as Sinopeltosaurus minimus or Sinopelta minima; Galton and Carpenter, as the first revisers under ICZN, made the former official.

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