Similicaudipteryx
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Similicaudipteryx Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 124–120 Ma |
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| Restored holotype skeleton | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Dinosauria |
| Order: | Saurischia |
| Suborder: | Theropoda |
| Family: | †Caudipteridae |
| Genus: |
†Similicaudipteryx He et al., 2008 |
| Species: | †S. yixianensis |
| Binomial name | |
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Similicaudipteryx yixianensis He et al., 2008 |
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Similicaudipteryx, meaning "similar to Caudipteryx" (which itself means "tail feather"), is a genus of theropod dinosaur of the family Caudipteridae.
In 2007 the find of a new caudipterid was reported. In 2008 the new genus Similicaudipteryx, with as type species Similicaudipteryx yixianensis, was named and described by He Tao, Wang Xiaolin and Zhou Zonghe. The generic name, derived from Latin similis, "resembling", refers to its similarity to the closely related Caudipteryx. The specific name refers to its provenance from Yixian County. Presently, S. yixianensis is the only species named in the genus.
The holotype specimen, IVPP V 12556, was recovered from the Jiufotang Formation of northeastern China, dating to the early Cretaceous Period middle Aptian stage, about 120 million years ago or perhaps early Albian stage, about 112 million years old. It consists of a nearly complete skeleton of an adult individual compressed on a plate, that however lacks the skull, the front neck and the hands.
In 2010 two additional specimens were referred to Similicaudipteryx, one of a juvenile, STM4-1, and the other of a much larger juvenile, STM22-6. Both were reported as found in the Yixian Formation, dating to the early Aptian stage, about 124 million years ago.
In 2010 Gregory S. Paul renamed the species to Caudipteryx yixianensis, but this has found no acceptance.
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