Affiliation:
1. College of Earth Science and Engineering Shandong University of Science and Technology Qingdao Shandong 266570 China
2. College of Paleontology Shenyang Normal University Shenyang 110034 China
3. Key Laboratory of Evolution of Past Life in NE Asia Ministry of Natural Resources Shenyang 110034 China
4. Key Laboratory of Evolutionary Systematics of Vertebrates, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100044 China
5. CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment Beijing 100044 China
Abstract
AbstractThree eusauropod teeth (SDUST‐V1064, PMOL‐AD00176, PMOL‐ADt0005) are reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Ningcheng, southeastern Inner Mongolia, China. Two of them (SDUST‐V1064, PMOL‐AD00176) are assigned to early‐diverging titanosauriforms in having slightly mesiodistal expansion at the base of the tooth crown, a slenderness index value >2.0 and <4.0, and D‐shaped cross section. Furthermore, SDUST‐V1064 and PMOL‐AD00176 are referred as an Euhelopus‐like titanosauriform on the basis of having a sub‐circular boss on the lingual surface and an asymmetrical crown‐root margin which slants apically, respectively. CT scan data of SDUST‐V1064 reveals new dental information of early‐diverging titanosauriforms, for example, the enamel on the labial side thicker than that on the lingual side, an enamel/dentine ratio of 0.26 and a boss present on the lingual side of the dentine of the crown.