Pronunciation: YEEZ-hoo-SOR-us
Meaning: Yizhou Lizard
Author/s: Zhang et al. (2018)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Yunnan Province, China
Discovery Chart Position: #994
Yizhousaurus sunae
(Ai-Ling Sun's Yizhou lizard)Etymology
Yizhousaurus is derived from the Chinese Pinyin "Yi" (referring to the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province), "zhou" ("land", referring to an administrive unit) and the Greek "sauros" (lizard). The species epithet, sunae, honors Professor Ai-Ling Sun, for her great contribution to the study of Chinese vertebrate fossils, including those from Lufeng. ZooBank registry: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F3929B89-4E57-4F11-AFAE-B3CD3304C9F7.
Discovery
The remains of Yizhousaurus was discovered in the Zhangjiaao Member of the Lower Lufeng Formation near Duwafang Village, Chuanjie Town, Lufeng County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, and excavated by the crews of the Bureau of Land and Resources of Lufeng County from October 20th through November 23rd, 2002.
The holotype (LFGT ZLJ0033) is an undistorted skeleton including an exquisite skull and lower jaw preserved in three-dimensions, thirty-one vertebrae (nine neck, fourteen back, three hip and five tail), shoulder and pelvic girdles, most of both forelimbs and both thighs. The fourth and fifth tail vertebrae are fused together, which is thought to be the result of disease or injury, or both.
