Pronunciation: zah-nuh-buh-zar
Meaning: for High Saint Zanabazar
Author/s: Norell et al. (2009)
Synonyms: Saurornithoides junior
First Discovery: Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Discovery Chart Position: #684
Zanabazar junior
Zanabazar was originally named Saurornithoides junior (Barsbold, 1974) and is known from an incomplete skull and enough scrappy hind leg bits and bobs to show that it was the largest known Asian troodontid and, aside from North America's Troodon, the largest known troodontid, period.
However, these remains also showed that the case to support its assignment to Saurornithoides was pretty weak. Hence, Mark Norell and colleagues renamed it in 2009.
Zanabazar aside, two other troodontids are known from Mongolia's Nemegt Formation: Borogovia gracilicrus and Tochisaurus nemegtensis. At one point, there were whispers that two (or possibly all three) of them may represent the same critter, in which case, Borogovia should have had bragging rights as it was named first. However, not only are their fossils scrappy, but they also lack any comparable parts, so even the most ferocious lumper would think twice before tackling this trio.
Zanabazar aside, two other troodontids are known from Mongolia's Nemegt Formation: Borogovia gracilicrus and Tochisaurus nemegtensis. At one point, there were whispers that two (or possibly all three) of them may represent the same critter, in which case, Borogovia should have had bragging rights as it was named first. However, not only are their fossils scrappy, but they also lack any comparable parts, so even the most ferocious lumper would think twice before tackling this trio.
Etymology
Zanabazar is named for Undur Geghen Zanabazar ("High Saint Zanabazar"), the first spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism for the Khalkha in Outer Mongolia, who lived from 1635 to 1723.The species epithet, junior, is a reference to it being younger than Saurornithoides, of which it was once considered a second species. Saurornithoides was discovered in the 84-71 million year old Djadochta (aka Djadokta) Formation while Zanabazar is from the 71-68 million year old Nemegt formation.
Discovery
The first fossils of Zanabazar were found in the Nemegt Formation at Bugiin Tsav (aka Bugeen Tsav), some 50 km north-west of the Nemegt Basin, Gobi Desert, Mongolia, during a Dr. Namnandorge-led expedition of Mongolian and Soviet palaeontologists in 1964.
The holotype (IGM 100/1) is a partial skull (272mm long), six sacral (hip) and 11 caudal (tail) vertebrae, and a partial right hind limb.
