Pronunciation: CHAHNG-choon-SOR-us
Meaning: Changchun lizard
Author/s: Zan et al. (2005)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Jilin, China
Discovery Chart Position: #558
Changchunsaurus parvus
Notable for being the first primitive ornithopod known from the Cretaceous-aged Songliao Basin, the best-represented dinosaur from the Quantou Formation, and the first named dinosaur from China's Jilin Province, Changchunsaurus was described in 2005 by Zan Shu-Qin. At the time, he thought it was one of the most primitive ornithopods from anywhere, but noted some features in common with ceratopsians, which made it a nightmare to classify. In the end, Zan wouldn't be drawn on its affinities and tagged Changchunsaurus as "Ornithopoda incertae sedis" (of uncertain placement). But its unusual features almost led to a job as the anchor of a new clade.
Along with Haya, Changchunsaurus seemed to form a family of small, beaked, possibly omnivorous, Asian critters within Ornithopoda that some palaeontologists informally referred to as "Changchunsauridae". However, Jeholosaurus turned out to be a "changchunsaur", too, and because it was the first named member, it had dibs on the group name. Fenglu Han officially coined Jeholosauridae in 2012.|1|
Along with Haya, Changchunsaurus seemed to form a family of small, beaked, possibly omnivorous, Asian critters within Ornithopoda that some palaeontologists informally referred to as "Changchunsauridae". However, Jeholosaurus turned out to be a "changchunsaur", too, and because it was the first named member, it had dibs on the group name. Fenglu Han officially coined Jeholosauridae in 2012.|1|
(Small Changchun lizard)Etymology
Changchunsaurus is derived from "Changchun" (the capital of Jilin Province) and the Greek "sauros" (lizard).
The species epithet, parvus, means "petite, small or weak" in Latin, relating to its small size.
Discovery
The remains of Changchunsaurus were discovered at Gongzhuling quarry in the Quantou Formation (Songliao Basin), Shanqian Village, Liufangzi Town, Gongzhuling City, Jilin Province, China, by field teams from the Jilin University Geological Museum (JLUM) during 2000 and 2002. The same quarry yielded the holotype of Helioceratops (Jin et al., 2009).
The holotype (JLUM L0403-j-Zn2) is a partial skeleton (an articulated series of 26 vertebrae, some ribs, ossified tendons, partial shoulder girdles, two upper arm bones, a partial hip bone, a partial left thigh, shin, and foot, and a right calf and foot with ankle and heel fragment) and a skull with a premaxilla (upper beak) and partial lower jaw. Referred material includes another premaxilla (JLUM L0204-Y-23) and an almost complete left dentary: a tooth bearing bone of the lower jaw (JLUM L0204-Y-24).
Preparators
Li Tao of the Jilin University Geological Museum at Changchun.
