The re-description of Liaoningotitan sinensis Zhou et al., 2018.

Abstract

Liaoningotitan sinensis is one of three sauropod species found in the Jehol Biota. Liaoningotitan sinensis is from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation in Liaoning, China. The discovery of Liaoningotitan sinensis was an important breakthrough for researching the diversity of giant herbivorous animals in the Jehol Biota. However, the research and analysis of Liaoningotitan sinensis are not yet complete. This study presents a comprehensive research and analysis of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype. First, the skull, vertebrae, pelvic girdle, and appendicular elements of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype were carefully reexamined, leading to the discovery of mosaic evolution occurring in the skull and the identification of one new autapomorphy of humerus of Liaoningotitan sinensis: the attachment point of coracobrachialis muscle on the anterior surface of the proximal end of the humerus is flat. Second, the characteristics of the Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype and other well-preserved sauropod dinosaurs were used to reconstruct the skull of Liaoningotitan sinensis. Next, Euhelopus zdanskyi was used to reconstruct the body type of Liaoningotitan sinensis holotype, the result indicating that Liaoningotitan sinensis was approximately 10 m in length. Finally, TNT software was utilized to analyze the phylogenetic position of Liaoningotitan sinensis, with the result indicating that Liaoningotitan sinensis can be classified into the Euhelopodidae.