Euhelopus

Euhelopus
Temporal range: Berriasian-Valanginian
~145–133 Ma
Reconstructed skeleton in Japan
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Sauropodomorpha
Clade: Sauropoda
Clade: Macronaria
Clade: Titanosauriformes
Clade: Somphospondyli
Family: Euhelopodidae
Genus: Euhelopus
Romer, 1956
Type species
Euhelopus zdanskyi
(Wiman, 1929)
Synonyms

Euhelopus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived between 145 and 133 million years ago during the Berriasian and Valanginian stages of the Early Cretaceous[1] in what is now Shandong Province in China. It was a large quadrupedal herbivore. Like sauropods such as brachiosaurs and titanosaurs, Euhelopus had longer forelegs than hind legs. This discovery was paleontologically significant because it represented the first dinosaur scientifically investigated from China: seen in 1913, rediscovered in 1922, and excavated in 1923 and studied by T'an during the same year.[2] Unlike most sauropod specimens, it has a relatively complete skull.[3]

Euhelopus was a long-necked sauropod similar to Mamenchisaurus, but its affinities are controversial. Most studies favor a close relationship between Euhelopus and titanosaurs, rather than mamenchisaurids.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference JWPU09 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ T'an, H. C. (1923). New research on the Mesozoic and early Tertiary geology in Shantung. Geological Survey of China Bulletin 5:95-135
  3. ^ Poropat, Stephen F.; Kear, Benjamin P. (2013-11-21). "Photographic Atlas and Three-Dimensional Reconstruction of the Holotype Skull of Euhelopus zdanskyi with Description of Additional Cranial Elements". PLOS ONE. 8 (11): e79932. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0079932. PMC 3836988. PMID 24278222.