Biota and Environment of Natural Areas

Ermatsans I.A., Bolotsky Yu.L., Bolotsky I.Yu.

Vertebrates from the Late Mesozoic of Kundur Locality

Year: 2019, Number: 1, Pages: 63-79

Kundur locality (Arkhara district, Amur region, Russia) is the one of the largest Cretaceous vertebrate fossil heritage sites in the Russian Far East. Collection of fossilized bones, which was formed during 1990-2004 field works consist of more than 1500 specimen. Now, it is stored in funds of paleontological laboratory of IGNM FEB RAS. Rich vertebrate fauna which includes an array of dinosaurs, turtles, crocodiles and mammals was specified during studies. Remarkable representatives of that fauna is: holotype of the first complete dinosaur skeleton from Russia – Olorotitan arharensis; holotype and paratypes of new saurolophine Kundurosaurus nagornyi; isolated remains of carnivorous dinosaurs, including large tyrannosaurid; two teeth and osteodermal spine of ankylosaurid dinosaur (possibly first in Asia); unique for Asian part of Russia late Cretaceous turtle remains (Lindholmemydidae); crocodile teeth; multituberculate mammal tooth (first and unique for Russia and Northern Asia). Further investigations of this site and collection by international team of scientists were undertaken in the fields of: determining the age of the bonebed and fossils, dinosaur paleoecology, climat and paleoenvironment study. The material from Kundur dinosaur locality still contains very promising amount of data for future research.

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