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Borealopelta markmitchelli

Osteichthyes - Nodosauridae

Taxonomy
Borealopelta markmitchelli was named by Brown et al. (2017). Its type specimen is TMP 2011.033.0001, a skeleton (an articulated specimen preserving the head, neck, most of the trunk and sacrum, a complete right and a partial left forelimb and manus, partial pes), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Suncor Millennium Mine, which is in an Aptian terrestrial horizon in the Clearwater Formation of Canada. It is the type species of Borealopelta.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
2017Borealopelta markmitchelli Brown et al. figs. 1-4
2020Borealopelta markmitchelli Brown et al. p. 1

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
Bilateria
EubilateriaAx 1987
Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
Tetrapoda
Reptiliomorpha
Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
Cotylosauria()
Amniota
Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
RankNameAuthor
Romeriida
Diapsida()
Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
Crocopoda
ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
Eucrocopoda
Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
Ornithodira
Dinosauromorpha
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauria()
Ornithischia()
Genasauria
Thyreophora()
Ankylosauria()
familyNodosauridae
genusBorealopelta
speciesmarkmitchelli

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Borealopelta markmitchelli Brown et al. 2017
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
C. M. Brown et al. 2017A nodosaurid ankylosaur characterized by the following autapomorphies
(*) and suite of characters [character/state]: cranial:
dorsal skull ornamentation expressed as a large hexagonal dermal plate in frontoparietal region [52:1] and multiple (>20) small dermal plates in frontonasal region [21:2]*; external nares excluded from view dorsally (shared with Pawpawsaurus) [16:1]; supraorbital ornamentation forming sharp lateral rim dorsal to orbits (shared with Gargoyleosaurus and Kunbarrasaurus) [38:2]; jugal (suborbital) horn triangular with pointed apex (shared with Gastonia, Gargoyleosaurus, and Polocanthus) [47:2]; jugal (suborbital) horn base longer than orbit length [49:2]*; osteoderms: cervical and thoracic osteoderms form continuous (abutting) transverse rows completely separated by continuous transverse rows of polygonal basement scales; parascapular spine is the largest osteoderm, recurved, and projects posterolaterally and horizontally (potentially shared with Sauropelta); osteoderm count for transverse rows: cervicals: C1-3, C2-3, C3-3, transition: TR-2, thoracic: T1-6*; third and sixth transverse thoracic osteoderm rows expressed medially but pinch out laterally*. The new taxon can be further differentiated from Pawpawsaurus based on: dermal plate in frontonasal region (central dermal plates) flat [22:1]; absence of ciliary osteoderm [41:0]. Can be further differentiated from Sauropelta based on: parietals flat to slightly convex [51:0]; cervical half ring has 4–6 osteoderms only [164:1]; medial cervical osteoderms subequal, hexagonal, and bear prominent median ridge with posterior margin projecting beyond the basal footprint.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: hydroxyapatiteo
Entire body: yeso
Adult length: 10 to < 100o
Adult width: 1.0 to < 10o
Adult height: 1.0 to < 10o
Architecture: compact or denseo
Ontogeny: accretion, modification of partso
Grouping: gregariouso
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: herbivoreo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2004-12-14 12:50:52
Modified: 2004-12-14 14:50:52
Source: o = order
References: Marsh 1875, Kiessling 2004

Age range: Aptian or 121.40000 to 113.20000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Aptian121.4 - 113.2Canada (Alberta) Ankylosauria indet. (type locality: 194481)