记述了四川会理下侏罗统益门组的蜥脚类化石。经研究,将化石归于马门溪龙科,建立新属新种何氏通安龙Tonganosaurus hei gen.et sp.nov.。通安龙具有进步蜥脚类的特点:颈椎细长、荐前椎发育侧凹、前肢较长,为后肢的0.80等;同时,通安龙也具有原始蜥脚类的特点:脊椎骨组织坚实不中空、肱骨和股骨骨干粗而圆。从国内外已有的资料看,原始蜥脚类主要发现于侏罗纪早期,而进步蜥脚类则主要发现于侏罗纪中晚期。由于通安龙兼具原始蜥脚类和进步蜥脚类的特点,且时代为早侏罗世,因此,通安龙化石材料的发现对中国西南地区早期蜥脚类的系统演化研究具有重要的意义。
A new sauropod,Tonganosaurus hei gen. et sp. nov. from the Yimen Formation (Lower Jurassic) of southern Sichuan,China,is described on the basis of a collection of bones. These fossils include about 20 vertebrae,a complete right pectoral girdle and right forelimb,the distal end of a left scapula,a pair of complete ischia,a complete right hindlimb,the proximal and distal ends of a left femur,right metatarsals (mt. I,II,III and V),a right pedal ungual,and ten neural spine and rib fragments. The third cervical and anterior caudals are most similar in shape to those of the mamenchisaurid Omeisaurus (from the Middle Jurassic,Sichuan Basin),and quite different from those of other sauropods. The material was therefore assigned to the Family Mamenchisauridae Young Chao,1972 and a new genus and species were established. This represents the first discovery of a sauropod in the Lower Jurassic of China since Gongxianosaurus was found in Sichuan Basin. The Tonganosaurus material is of great importance for understanding the phylogenetics of the early Sauropoda.