Ornithischian dinosaurs in Southeast Asia: a review with palaeobiogeographic implications
Author
Manitkoon, Sita
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0375-329X
Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang, Mahasarakham, 44150, Thailand
Author
Deesri, Uthumporn
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6095-8654
Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang, Mahasarakham, 44150, Thailand
uthumporn_deesri@yahoo.com
Author
Warapeang, Prapasiri
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7999-0323
Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang, Mahasarakham, 44150, Thailand
Author
Nonsrirach, Thanit
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7432-628X
Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang, Mahasarakham, 44150, Thailand
Author
Chanthasit, Phornphen
Palaeontological Research and Education Centre, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang, Mahasarakham, 44150, Thailand
text
Fossil Record
2023
2023-01-10
26
1
1
25
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/fr.26.e93456
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/fr.26.e93456
2193-0074-1-1
F8C273F5D7C54A5CBF0A56C7C3085D55
31E88D0E24BE5C97B7D3DF99135E1514
Siamodon nimngami Buffetaut & Suteethorn, 2011
Material.
holotype
PRC-4, a left maxilla (Fig.
3I
) and the referred materials, an isolated maxillary tooth (PRC-5) and a braincase (PRC-6).
Locality and age.
Ban Saphan Hin, Khok Kruat Subdistrict, Nakhon Ratchasima Province; late Early Cretaceous Khok Kruat Formation (Aptian) (
Buffetaut and Suteethorn 2011
).
Previous study.
S. nimngami
shows a combination of iguanodontian features: maxilla shaped like an isosceles triangle, with the dorsal process located at about mid-length of the bone; a strong longitudinal bulge on the medial surface of the maxilla; maxillary teeth bear a strong median primary ridge, one short weak subsidiary ridge or no subsidiary ridge; and mamillated denticles on the crown margins similar to
Gongpoquansaurus mazongshanensis
and
Probactrosaurus mongoliensis
from China (
Buffetaut and Suteethorn 2011
). There may have been as many as 25 tooth positions in the maxilla (
Buffetaut and Suteethorn 2011
). It differs from hadrosaurids in the jugal, which forms a tab-like process, whereas in hadrosaurids, the expanded anterior end of the jugal contacts and overlaps a large sutural area on the maxilla (
Buffetaut and Suteethorn 2011
).
S. nimngami
and
R. suranareae
were mentioned as members of hadrosauroids (
Shibata et al. 2015
), but the phylogenetic analysis recovered
S. nimngami
at the base of Hadrosauriformes (
Madzia et al. 2020
).
Additional material and description.
WNM-Sp-001 (Fig.
8I, J
), an isolated dentary tooth from the same locality is referred to
S. nimngami
. It is well preserved and apparently from a right dentary. It generally resembles a previously reported
S. khoratensis
dentary tooth (
Shibata et al. 2015
). The crown of the tooth is leaf-shaped with enamel covering only the lingual surface. The ratio of apicobasal length / mesiodistal width: 1.87. One prominent primary ridge situated slightly distal to the mid-line makes the crown asymmetric. The secondary ridge is positioned mesial and it is less prominent. In contrast to
S. khoratensis
dentary teeth, where the crowns appear to be apicobasally erect, whereas in
S. nimngami
, the dentary teeth appear to be curved apicobasally.
Shibata et al. (2015)
noted that there were no other accessory ridges on the crown of
S. khoratensis
, but WNM-KS-001 shows at least one very faint accessory ridge on the mesial side. Small denticles are present on the mesial and distal margins of the upper half of the crown.
Comment.
Some palaeontologists consider
S. nimngami
a
nomen dubium
as its material does not show any autapomorphic characters, and it might be referable to some of the other taxa from the same area (
Norman 2014
). However,
Shibata et al. (2015)
showed the possibility of three iguanodontians in the Khok Kruat Formation. The holotype specimen of
S. nimngami
and
S. khoratensis
maxilla (NRRU-A2048) are similar in size. They likely to belong to same growth stage, but have distinct physical characteristics suggesting that they represent different animals, while comparisons to
R. suranareae
are not feasible as overlapping material has not been discovered.
There has been some disagreement about the type locality of
S. nimngami
given by Shibata and his team, and Buffetaut and Suteethorn; however, we would like to confirm that, after corroboration from the holotype collector, Mr. Witaya Nimngam, we now know that the type locality of
S. nimngami
is at Ban Saphan Hin. This is far from the type locality of
S. khoratensis
and definitely not from Ban Nong Rangka as previously suggested (Fig.
7
).
Figure 7.
Locality map of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, showing localities of
Siamodon
,
Ratchasimasaurus
and
Sirindhorna
.