Nodocephalosaurus
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 A reconstruction of Nodocephalosaurus.
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Extinct (fossil)
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| Nodocephalosaurus kirtlandensis Sullivan, 1999 |
Nodocephalosaurus (Sullivan, 1999) is an ankylosaurid ankylosaur from New Mexico. The holotype and only known specimen was recovered from the Upper Cretaceous (Late Campanian) De-na-zin Member of the Kirtland Formation and consists of an incomplete skull. Nodocephalosaurus (Greek nodus = knob, kephale = head and sauros = lizard) is a monotypic genus, including only the type species, Nodocephalosaurus kirtlandensis. The pattern of cranial ornamentation present in this ankylosaurid "is distinguished by semi-inflated to bulbous, polygonal, cranial osteoderms that are bilaterally and symmetrically arranged on the frontonasal region of the skull" (Sullivan, 1999), and includes deltoid quadratojugal flanges and pyramid-shaped squamosal bosses.
The type description noted the taxon's similarity to the Monogolian ankylosaurids Saichania chulsanensis and Tarchia gigantea, and suggested that these three taxa form a clade within the subfamily Ankylosaurinae. However, Vickaryous et. al. (2004), consider this assignment provisional and list the genus as Ankylosaurinae incertae sedis. There is also evidence of a paranasal sinus cavity in the maxilla. Sullivan (1999) also noted that material previously collected from the Kirtland Formation and assigned to the taxa Euoplocephalus or Panoplosaurus might actually represent additional remains of Nodocephalosaurus.
[edit] References
- Sullivan, R. Nodocephalosaurus kirtlandensis, gen et sp nov., a new ankylosaurid dinosaur (Ornithischia; Ankylosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Kirtland Formation (Upper Campanian), San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 19(1):126-139.
- Vickaryous, Maryanska, and Weishampel 2004. Chapter Seventeen: Ankylosauria. in The Dinosauria (2nd edition), Weishampel, D. B., Dodson, P., and Osmólska, H., editors. University of California Press.
