- Manidens
-
Manidens
Temporal range: Middle Jurassic, 171–167 MaScientific classification 
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Superorder: Dinosauria Order: †Ornithischia Family: †Heterodontosauridae Genus: †Manidens
Pol et al., 2011Species Manidens is a genus of heterodontosaurid dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Patagonia. Fossils have been found from the Cañadon Asfalto Formation in Chubut Province, Argentina, dating to the Bajocian.[1]
Contents
Etymology
The type species of Manidens, Manidens condorensis, was described in the journal Naturwissenschaften in 2011. Manidens was named in by Diego Pol, Oliver Rauhut and Marcos Becerra. The generic name is derived from Latin manus, "hand", and dens, "tooth", a reference to the hand-shaped form of the posterior lower teeth. The specific name refers to the village of Cerro Cóndor, located near to the Queso Rallado site where the specimen was found by zoologist Guillermo Rougier.[1]
Description
The holotype specimen of Manidens, MPEF-PV 3211, consists of a partial skeleton with skull and lower jaws, including the axial column except most of the tail; a left shoulder girdle; and the pelvis. The specimens MPEF-PV 1719, 1786, 1718, 3810, 3811, isolated posterior teeth, from the same locality and horizon as the holotype are also referred to this genus. The specimens were found in the Queso Rallado locality of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation, dating to the Aalenian–Early Bathonian stages, 171 ± 5 to 167 ± 4 Ma.[1]
Manidens was a relatively basal heterodontosaurid that grew to about 60 to 75 centimetres (24 to 30 in) in length, smaller than later heterodontosaurids. It has high-crowned teeth indicative of an increased adaptation to a herbivorous diet but lacks the wear facets seen in more advanced forms like Heterodontosaurus. Manidens is the sister taxon of a clade consisting of the African species Heterodontosaurus, Abrictosaurus and Lycorhinus, indicating an early radiation of the heterodontosaurids.[1]
Phylogeny
Cladogram after Pol et al., 2011:[1]
Ornithischia Heterodontosauridae Tianyulong
Fruitadens
Manidens
BMNH A100
*Note: Pol et al. regard Echinodon as a genus of Heterodontosauridae.
References
- ^ a b c d e Pol, D.; Rauhut, O.W.M.; and Becerra, M. (2011). "A Middle Jurassic heterodontosaurid dinosaur from Patagonia and the evolution of heterodontosaurids". Naturwissenschaften 98 (5): 369–379. doi:10.1007/s00114-011-0780-5. PMID 21452054. http://www.springerlink.com/content/7747k1mm52628161/.
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