| Hudiesaurus Temporal range: Late Jurassic |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Superorder: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | Sauropodomorpha |
| Infraorder: | Sauropoda |
| Genus: | Hudiesaurus Dong, 1997 |
| Species | |
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H. sinojapanorum Dong, 1997 (type) |
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Hudiesaurus (meaning "butterfly lizard") is a genus of dinosaur from China. A sauropod, it may have been related to Mamenchisaurus. Its fossil remains were found in the Kalazha Formation, which dates to the late Jurassic Period. The type (and only known) species, Hudiesaurus sinojapanorum, is known from only two incomplete specimens. The type specimen (IVPP V 11120) is represented only by a very large vertebra. Another partial skeleton from an apparently smaller individual, consisting of a nearly complete front leg and teeth, has also been assigned to this species. Both specimens were described by Dong in 1997.[1] Although the specimens are fragmentary, Hudiesaurus is believed to have been very large, even for sauropods, and may have reached 30m (or over 100 ft) in length.[2]