Altanulia

Altanulia
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 99.6–65.5 Ma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Genus: Altanulia
Gubin, 1993
Type species
Altanulia alifanovi
Gubin, 1993

Altanulia is an extinct genus of prehistoric amphibian.[1]

Description

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The holotype of Altanulia - PIN 553/300 -, consisting of an isolated 20 mm long maxilla bearing 45-47 teeth, was found by the Soviet-Mongolian Paleontological Expedition in the southern Gobi Desert, Nemegt Formation, and dates from the Upper Cretaceous (Upper Campanian-Lower Maastrichtian). Altanulia was diagnosed on the basis in the "Posterior part of maxilla deep, with longitudinal wedge-shaped labial depression; pterygoid tubercle of maxilla well expressed; frontal process in anterior part of bone."[2]

Classification

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Altanulia belongs to the Discoglossidae, due to the shape and structure of the lingual surface of its maxilla.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Martín, C.; Sanchiz, B. (2014). "Altanulia Gubin, 1993a". Lisanfos KMS. Version 1.2. Online reference accessible at www.lisanfos.mncn.csic.es. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN-CSIC, Madrid (Spain). Archived from the original on 2014-03-09. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  2. ^ a b Benton, Michael J.; Shishkin, Mikhail A.; Unwin, David M.; Kurochkin, Evgenii N. (2003-12-04). The Age of Dinosaurs in Russia and Mongolia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-54582-2.