Pronunciation: dong-be-TIE-tuhn
Meaning: Dongbei giant
Author/s: Wang et al. (2007)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Liaoning, China
Discovery Chart Position: #638
Dongbeititan dongi
Dongbeititan dongi is the first known sauropod from Western Liaoning's Lower Cretaceous Jehol Group, an area renowned for its "Lagerstatten" and exquisitely preserved small-bodied critters, yet hasn't been given much love by palaeontologists, despite being represented by some fairly decent remains. It did whip up a little interest in 2012, though, on account of a rib. It's not an especially unusual rib, granted, but it does have a theropod tooth stuck in it, which you don't see every day. Alas, the tooth's owner wasn't the limelight-hogging Tyrannosaurus, so this news was soon forgotten. But it stuck in our minds because Dongbeititan dongi literally reads as "Dongbei Giant Dong" (cue childish sniggers), though, of course, its intended meaning is "Dong's Dongbei Giant", in honour of palaeontologist Dong Zhiming and Dongbei (the northernmost arm of China) which is also known as Manchuria.
(Dong's Dongbei giant)Etymology
Dongbeititan is derived from "Dongbei" (literally "East-North China" consisting of Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces) and the Greek "Titan" (Giant).
Historically, Dongbei is also known as Manchuria because it was once the territory of the Manchu. The species epithet (or specific name), dongi,
honours Chinese paleontologist Dong Zhiming.
Discovery
The remains of Dongbeititan were discovered in the Jianshangou Member of the Yixian Formation, Libalang Valley, western Liaoning Province, China, in 2006.
The holotype (DNHM D2867) includes bones from the limbs, shoulder and pelvic girdles, and vertebrae.
