Sinocoelurus

Sinocoelurus; Temporal range: Upper Jurassic, 160 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
	Tooth
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Sauropsida
Order:	Saurischia
Suborder:	Theropoda
Genus:	†Sinocoelurus; Yang, 1942
Binomial name
	†Sinocoelurus fragilis; Yang, 1942

Sinocoelurus (meaning "Chinese hollow tail", in reference to location and to relate the new genus to the North American Coelurus) is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Oxfordian-?Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Kyangyan Series of Sichuan, China. It is an obscure tooth taxon.

History[]

Famous Chinese paleontologist Yang Zhongjian (in older references his name is given as C. C. Young) named this genus from IVP AS V232-234, a group of four isolated partial teeth found near , Guangyuan, Sichuan Basin. He described them as "long, slender, moderately curved and compressed; ridged anterior and posterior sides with no trace of serrations; enamel very thin".^[1] He considered the genus to be "coelurosaurian", which at that time meant a small theropod. The most distinctive characteristic of these teeth was their lack of serrations.^[2]

Because of the small amount of material, Sinocoelurus has attracted little attention since its description, outside of reviews. It is usually considered a dubious name of either coelurosaurian\coelurid affinities (if the source predates the acceptance of Coelurosauria as a wastebasket taxon as traditionally used), or uncertain theropod affinities (if published after this). The most recent review classifies it as Tetanurae incertae sedis and dubious.^[3]

Paleobiology[]

As a small theropod, Sinocoelurus would have been an agile, bipedal carnivore.

Miscellany[]

Due to romanization variations, the location may be given as Kuangyuan, Szechuan Basin.

References[]

^ Glut, D.F. (1997). "Sinocoelurus". Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia. McFarland & Company. p. 825. ISBN 978-0-89950-917-4.
^ Yang Zhongjian. (1942). Fossil vertebrates from Kuangyuan, N. Szechuan, China. Bulletin of the Geological Society of China 22(3-4):293-309.
^ Holtz Jr.; T.R., Molnar, R.E & Currie, P.J. (2004). "Basal Tetanurae". The Dinosauria (second ed.). University of California Press. pp. 71–110. ISBN 978-0-520-24209-8.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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[Glut97-1] Glut, D.F. (1997). "Sinocoelurus". Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia. McFarland & Company. p. 825. ISBN 978-0-89950-917-4.

[Yang42-2] Yang Zhongjian. (1942). Fossil vertebrates from Kuangyuan, N. Szechuan, China. Bulletin of the Geological Society of China 22(3-4):293-309.

[Holtz04-3] Holtz Jr.; T.R., Molnar, R.E & Currie, P.J. (2004). "Basal Tetanurae". The Dinosauria (second ed.). University of California Press. pp. 71–110. ISBN 978-0-520-24209-8.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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