Abstract
ABSTRACT The cranial osteology of many prosauropod dinosaurs remains poorly described, hampering broader systematic studies of basal sauropodomorph interrelationships. Here, we present a detailed re-description of the skull of Lufengosaurus huenei Young. 1941a. from the Lower Lufeng Formation (Lower Jurassic) of China. Lufengosaurus can be diagnosed on the basis of four cranial autapomorphies (the presence of bony bosses on the ascending process of the maxilla, the jugal. and the rostrolateral wing of the parietal, and the presence of a ridge on the lateral surface of the maxilla) and distinguished from all other prosauropods by a unique combination of cranial character states. Previous suggestions that Lufengosaurus is congeneric with either Massospondylus or Yunnanosaurus are rejected on the basis of craniodental evidence. Comparison with published character codings for Lufengosaurus reveals numerous discrepancies that are demonstrated to affect the phylogenetic position of the genus and patterns of sauropodomorph interrelationships.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
