Saichania

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Saichania Fossil range: Late Cretaceous
Conservation status
Extinct (fossil)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Superorder: Dinosauria Order: Ornithischia Suborder: Thyreophora Infraorder: Ankylosauria Family: Ankylosauridae Genus: Saichania
Species
S. chulsanensis (type)

Saichania (meaning 'beautiful one') was an ankylosaurid dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period of what is now Mongolia. It lived during the Campanian alongside Pinacosaurus. Saichania was about six meters long. The type species is Saichania chulsanensis.

Saichania was described by Maryanska in 1977, along with Tarchia kielanae.^[1] The type specimen of S. chulsanensis consists of a skull and the anterior part of the postcranial skeleton (cervical and dorsal vertebrae, shoulder girdle, forelimb, and some armour in life position). Referred specimens include a fragmentary skull roof and associated armour, and an undescribed, almost complete skeleton with skull.

[edit] References

1. ^ Maryanska, T. (1977). "Ankylosauridae (Dinosauria) from Mongolia". Palaeontologia Polonica 37: 85-151.