Siamosaurus is a genus of medium sized Spinosaurid dinosaur; that lived in Thailand during the Early Cretaceous period.
History[]
Credit: DinoThaiThai Chatchy on the Wikimedia Commons.
Éric Buffetaut and his colleague Rucha Ingavat discovered teeth from Phu Pratu Teema, Sao Khua Formation. By 1983, it was unknown which animal these were from, but they were determined to be either from an "unusual theropod, or some unknown crocodilian". In 1986, a reassessment found them as a new genus, Siamosaurus. The epithet is after Varavudh Suteethorn and the genus means "Siamese lizard".[1][2]
Description[]
Credit: PaleoGeekSquared on the Wikimedia Commons.
Size estimates vary because it is so incomplete. Postcrania and teeth SM2016-1-147 and SM2016-1-165 are in the Sirindhorn Museum in Thailand, with a caudal series possibly referable described by a dissertation by Samathi. SM-PW9B-11 to 17, SM-PW9B, SM-PW9A-unnumbered, SM-PW9-unnumbered and SM 2017-1-176 were called "Phuwing spinosaurid B" by Samathi, being similar to Camarillasaurus and Baryonyx. Two partial skeletons and a tooth are also referable.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Paleobiology[]
The Siamosaurus neotype fossil; teeth
Siamosaurus bears signs of being a generalist carnivore. Isolate tooth crowns found in direct associated with sauropod material indicate that it was either a predator of them or an opportunistic scavenger.[9][10]
Classification[]
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Megalosauridae | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spinosauridae |
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References[]