Asiamericana
Encyclopedia
Asiamericana
Asiamericana (AY-zha-MER-i-KAHN-a - (Greek
: Asia meaning Asia
and New Latin
America meaning America
) was a genus
of theropod dinosaur
which was named to recognize the occurrence of similar fossil teeth in Central Asia
and North America
. These regions once formed a connected land mass, during the Cretaceous
period and were referred to as Asiamerica
. Asiamericana has been tentatively classified with the Spinosauridae
.
The teeth were discovered by L. A. Nesov in 1995. The findings were based on three teeth found in the central Kyzylkum desert, Uzbekistan
, comparable to other teeth found in Kazakhstan
and North America, which have been illustrated but not formally described. The type species
is A. asiaticus.
fish
rather than to dinosaur
s.
Asiamericana (AY-zha-MER-i-KAHN-a - (Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
: Asia meaning Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and New Latin
New Latin
The term New Latin, or Neo-Latin, is used to describe the Latin language used in original works created between c. 1500 and c. 1900. Among other uses, Latin during this period was employed in scholarly and scientific publications...
America meaning America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) was a genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of theropod dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
which was named to recognize the occurrence of similar fossil teeth in Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. These regions once formed a connected land mass, during the Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period and were referred to as Asiamerica
Asiamerica
Asiamerica was a large island formed from the Laurasian landmass and separated by shallow continental seas from Eurasia to the West and eastern North America to the East. This region incorporated what are now China, Mongolia, western USA and western Canada. Fossil evidence tells us that it was home...
. Asiamericana has been tentatively classified with the Spinosauridae
Spinosauridae
Spinosauridae is a family of specialised theropod dinosaurs. Members of this family were large, bipedal predators with elongated, crocodile-like skulls, sporting conical teeth with no or only very tiny serrations. The front dentary teeth fanned out, giving the animal a characteristic look...
.
The teeth were discovered by L. A. Nesov in 1995. The findings were based on three teeth found in the central Kyzylkum desert, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, comparable to other teeth found in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
and North America, which have been illustrated but not formally described. The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is A. asiaticus.
Classification issues
Nesov himself has cautioned that these unusual teeth may belong to saurodontIchthyodectidae
The family Ichthyodectidae was a family of marine actinopterygian fish. Sometimes classified in the primitive bony fish order Pachycormiformes, they are today generally regarded as members of the "bulldog fish" order Ichthyodectiformes in the far more advanced Osteoglossomorpha...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
rather than to dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
s.