Pronunciation: zee-YOO-nick-us
Meaning: Western Claw
Author/s: Xu et al. (2018)
Synonyms: Non known
First Discovery: Xinjiang, China
Discovery Chart Position: #991
Xiyunykus pengi
(Peng's Western Claw)Etymology
Xiyunykus is derived from the Mandarin "Xiyu" (western regions); a Han Dynasty term for regions west of Yumen Pass, mostly the easternmost portion of central Asia which includes Xinjiang, and the Greek "onyx" (claw); a common suffix for alvarezsaurian dinosaurs.
The species epithet, pengi, honours Professor Peng Xiling who has contributed greatly to the study of geology in Xinjiang.
Discovery
The remains of Xiyunykus were discovered in the upper part of the Tugulu Group, Wucaiwan area, Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China by Tao Yu.
The holotype (IVPP V22783), housed at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, is a partial, disarticulated skeleton.
Preparators
Lishi Xiang, Tao Yu, and Xiaoqing Ding.
