Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Erlikosaurus andrewsi

Reptilia

Taxonomy
Erlikosaurus andrewsi was named by Barsbold and Perle (1980). Its type specimen is GIN 100/111, a partial skeleton, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Bayshin-Tsav [SMPE] (PIN coll. 100), which is in a Cenomanian/Santonian terrestrial horizon in the Baynshire Formation of Mongolia. It is the type species of Erlicosaurus. It was considered monophyletic by Currie (2000).

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1980Erlikosaurus andrewsi Barsbold and Perle
1981Erlicosaurus andrewsi Perle
1983Erlikosaurus andrewsi Barsbold p. 106
1992Erlicosaurus andrewsi Currie p. 247
1993Erlikosaurus andrewsi Clark et al. pp. 30A-31A
1993Erlicosaurus andrewsi Currie and Eberth p. 138
1994Erlicosaurus andrewsi Clark et al.
1994Erlikosaurus andrewsi Russell and Dong p. 2108
1995Erlikosaurus andrewsi Nessov p. 37
1997Erlikosaurus andrewsi Barsbold p. 448
1997Erlikosaurus andrewsi Varricchio p. 752
1998Erlicosaurus andrewsi Makovicky and Norell p. 12
2000Erlikosaurus andrewsi Currie p. 440
2002Erlicosaurus andrewsi Xu et al. p. 236
2003Erlikosaurus andrewsi Rauhut p. 41
2004Erlikosaurus andrewsi Clark et al. p. 152
2005Erlicosaurus andrewsi Kirkland et al. p. 90
2007Erlikosaurus andrewsi Averianov p. 540
2007Erlikosaurus andrewsi Turner et al. p. 5
2010Erlikosaurus andrewsi Zanno p. 521–522
2011Erlikosaurus andrewsi Turner et al. p. 59
2012Erlikosaurus andrewsi Bell et al. p. 188
2012Erlikosaurus andrewsi Qian et al. p. 339
2013Erlikosaurus andrewsi Pu et al.
2014Erlikosaurus andrewsi Evans et al. p. 733
2015Erlicosaurus andrewsi Tsuihiji et al. p. 64

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
RankNameAuthor
—Diapsida()
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Theropoda()
—Neotheropoda
—AverostraPaul 2002
—Tetanurae
—Coelurosauria()
—Maniraptoriformes
—TherizinosauriaRussell 1997
genusErlikosaurus
speciesandrewsi

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.

†Erlikosaurus andrewsi Barsbold and Perle 1980
show all | hide all
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
L. E. Zanno 2010The original diagnosis for Erlikosaurus by Barsbold & Perle (1980, p. 190): “medium-sized [therizinosaurian] with laterally compressed pedal unguals” does not adequately diagnose this taxon. Barsbold (1983, p. 105) added two characters to the diagnosis: “mandibular teeth small and closely positioned; and rostral portion of lower jaw edentulous”. However, these characters are more widespread within the clade. Clark et al. (1994) redescribed the skull of Erlikosaurus and provided a comprehensive diagnosis on the basis of this study. However, as noted by Clark et al. (1994), the near complete absence of comparative cranial materials prevented assessment of these features as autapomorphic, synapomorphic or plesiomorphic. The recent discovery of therizinosaurian cranial materials pertaining to Falcarius (Zanno 2010) and No. mckinleyi (Kirkland & Wolfe 2001) is shedding light on the utility of these features in differentiating Erlikosaurus. The following features noted as possible autapomorphies by Clark et al. (1994, pp. 36–37) are now known to have a broader distribution among therizinosaurians: edentulous premaxilla with sharp, vertical ventrolateral edge; vomer extremely elongate and extending caudally to meet cultriform process; parabasisphenoid with extremely large pneumatic spaces; external auditory meatus restricted ventrally by lateral expansion of braincase; medial wall of antorbital fossa extensive; and maxilla with medially inset dentition and few nutrient foramina on caudal part of facial process. The taxonomic distribution of the following features (Clark et al. 1994, pp. 36–37) remains unknown: extremely elongate nares due to regression of the maxilla; antorbital fossa with well-developed over-hanging lip; medial wall of antorbital fossa imperforate; caudal process of jugal covering cranial surface of quadratojugal; and a homodont maxillary dentition of numerous (23) small, lanceolate, coarsely serrated, unrecurved, transversely flattened teeth constricted at the base. Unfortunately, the skull of Erlikosaurus could not be accessed during this study and the holotype postcranial materials cannot be located (see Specimen Availability), preventing a re-evaluation of Erlikosaurus.
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: solitaryo
Environment: terrestrialo
Locomotion: actively mobileo
Life habit: ground dwellingo
Diet: carnivoresubo
Reproduction: oviparouso
Dispersal: direct/internalo
Dispersal 2: mobileo
Created: 2009-01-03 20:39:15
Modified: 2009-01-03 22:39:15
Source: subo = suborder, o = order
References: Benton 1983, Marsh 1875

Age range: base of the Cenomanian to the top of the Santonian or 100.50000 to 83.60000 Ma

Collections: one only


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Cenomanian - Santonian100.5 - 83.6Mongolia (Omnogov) Erlikosaurus andrewsi (type locality: 67974)