Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, 100037, China.
Key Lab of Stratigraphy and Paleontology, Ministry of Land and Resources of China, Beijing, 100037, China.
Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 27;7(1):6393. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-05016-6.
A new oviraptorid dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of Ganzhou, bringing oviraptrotid diversity of this region to seven taxa, is described. It is characterized by a distinct cassowary-like crest on the skull, no pleurocoels on the centra from the second through fourth cervical vertebrae, a neck twice as long as the dorsal vertebral column and slightly longer than the forelimb (including the manus). Phylogenetic analysis recovers the new oviraptorid taxon, Corythoraptor jacobsi, as closely related to Huanansaurus from Ganzhou. Osteochronology suggests that the type specimen of Corythoraptor had not reached stationary growth stage but died while decreasing growth rates. The histology implies that it would correspond to an immature individual approximately eight years old. We hypothesize, based on the inner structure compared to that in modern cassowaries, that the prominent casque of Corythoraptor was a multifunction-structure utilized in display, communication and probably expression of the fitness during mating seasons.
一种新的窃蛋龙类恐龙来自赣州市白垩纪晚期，使该地区的窃蛋龙类多样性增加到七个分类单元。其特征是头骨上有一个独特的似食火鸡的冠，第二到第四颈椎的脊椎中心没有肋窝，颈部长度是背椎的两倍，略长于前肢（包括手部）。系统发育分析表明，新的窃蛋龙类分类单元，Corythoraptor jacobsi，与赣州市的Huanansaurus 密切相关。骨组织学表明，Corythoraptor 的正型标本尚未达到静止生长阶段，而是在生长速度降低时死亡。组织学表明，它可能对应于一个大约 8 岁的未成熟个体。我们假设，根据与现代食火鸡的内部结构比较，Corythoraptor 的突出盔是一个多功能结构，用于展示、交流，可能在交配季节表达健康状况。
