The taxonomic identity of a nearly complete ankylosaurid dinosaur skeleton from the Gobi Desert of Mongolia

Mongolian Paleontological Center (MPC) 100/1305 is one of the most complete ankylosaurid skeletons ever collected, and includes much of the postcranial skeleton and numerous in situ osteoderms. This specimen has been referred to Saichania chulsanensis, based on the similarity of the skull compared to the holotype of Saichania, MPC 100/151. However, MPC 100/1305 does not include a skull, and so referral of MPC 100/1305 to Saichania must be based on postcranial characters. Comparison of the postcrania of MPC 100/1305 and MPC 100/151 reveals several differences in the scapula, humerus, and metacarpals, indicating that MPC 100/1305 should not be referred to Saichania. Additionally, although it was previously reported that MPC 100/1305 was collected from the Baruungoyot Formation at Khulsan in Mongolia, collection records indicate that this specimen was instead collected from the Djadokhta Formation at Zamyn Khond. Two ankylosaurid species are known from the Djadokhta Formation of Mongolia and China, Pinacosaurus grangeri and P. mephistocephalus. There are no diagnostic characters in MPC 100/1305 that can be used to refer this specimen to P. grangeri or P. mephistocephalus, and there are a few differences between MPC 100/1305 and Pinacosaurus, such as the number of caudal vertebrae, and morphology of the coracoid, which have uncertain taxonomic implications. At present, MPC 100/1305 is best referred to Ankylosauridae indet., or cf. Pinacosaurus, based on its generally congruent morphology with Pinacosaurus and its provenance from the Djadokhta Formation, in which Pinacosaurus is the only recognized ankylosaurid taxon.