- Erketu
Taxobox|
name = "Erketu"
fossil_range =Early Cretaceous
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
ordo =Saurischia
subordo =Sauropodomorpha
infraordo =Sauropoda
unranked_familia =Titanosauriformes
genus = "Erketu"
binomial = "Erketu ellisoni"
binomial_authority = Ksepka & Norell, 2006"Erketu" is the name given to a genus of
dinosaur from the EarlyCretaceous . It was asauropod with an "extremely long neck". Its fossils were found inMongolia .The type species, "Erketu ellisoni", was described in
March 2006 by Daniel Ksepka and Mark Norell of theAmerican Museum of Natural History . Its neck was estimated to be twice as long as its body, which may be a record for neck to body ratio. The exact ratio is unknown, because no dorsal vertebrae of "E. ellisoni" have been reported, although some hindlimb material suggests the approximate size of the body. The long neck of "Erketu" is the result of the individual vertebrae being greatly elongated; it is unknown if the number of cervical vertebrae was increased. "Erketu" is also diagnosed by bifurcate anterior cervical neural spines, another unusual trait for a titanosauriform. A phylogenetic analysis of sauropods indicates that "Erketu" is a basal somphospondylian, most closely related to "Euhelopus " andTitanosauria .This particular sauropod species is named after the American Museum of Natural History's resident paleo-artist, and close friend of Mark Norell, Mick Ellison.
References
* Ksepka, D.T. & M.A. Norell, 2006. "Erketu ellisoni", a long-necked sauropod from Bor Guvé (Dornogov Aimag, Mongolia). "American Museum Novitates" 3508: 1-16.
* http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/handle/2246/5783
* http://www.newcritters.com/2006/03/21/erketu-ellisoni-the-looooooong-necked-sauropod/
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