Ajnabia

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: †Ornithischia
Cladus: †Genasauria
Cladus: †Neornithischia
Cladus: †Cerapoda
Subordo: †Ornithopoda
Cladus: †Iguanodontia
Cladus: †Dryomorpha
Cladus: †Ankylopollexia
Superfamilia: †Hadrosauroidea

Familia: †Hadrosauridae
Cladus: †Euhadrosauria
Subfamily: Lambeosaurinae
Genus: †Ajnabia
Species: †A. odysseus
Name

Ajnabia Longrich, Pereda-Suberbiola, Pyron, & Jalil, 2021

Type species: Ajnabia odysseus Longrich, Pereda-Suberbiola, Pyron, & Jalil, 2021
References
Primary references

Longrich, N.R., Suberbiola, X. P., Pyron, R.A., & Jalil, N.-E. 2021. The first duckbill dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from Africa and the role of oceanic dispersal in dinosaur biogeography. Cretaceous Research 2020: 104678. DOI: 10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104678 Reference page.

Ajnabia (meaning "stranger" or "foreigner") is a genus of lambeosaurine hadrosaur from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Morocco. It is the first definitive hadrosaur from Africa, and is thought to be related to European dinosaurs like Arenysaurus.[1] The discovery of Ajnabia came as a surprise to the paleontologists who found it, because Africa was isolated by water from the rest of the world during the Cretaceous, such that hadrosaurs were assumed to have been unable to reach the continent.[2][3] The animal is relatively small; assuming it represents an adult it would be one of the smallest if not the smallest known hadrosaurids.
Discovery and naming
Life restoration

Ajnabia was recovered from the Late Maastrichtian strata of the phosphate mines at Sidi Chennane, in Khouribga Province, Morocco. Recovered elements include most of the left maxilla and part of the right, and a fragment of the right dentary. The name Ajnabia derives from the Arabic ajnabi, meaning "stranger" or "foreigner", referring to the animal as part of a dinosaur lineage that immigrated to Africa from elsewhere. The type and only species is A. odysseus, referring to the Greek hero and legendary sea voyager Odysseus.[1]

Arenysaurini

Arenysaurus Pararhabdodon Koutalisaurus Basturs lambeosaurine Canardia Adynomosaurus Serrat del Rostiar lambeosaurine Blasisaurus Ajnabia

Palaeoecology
Late Maastrichtian dinosaurs of Morocco, including Ajnabia odysseus, Chenanisaurus barbaricus

The holotype specimen, MHNM KHG 222, was recovered from the phosphates of the Ouled Abdoun Basin of north-central Morocco. The phosphates are a nearshore marine environment, dominated by sharks, fish, mosasaurs and other marine reptiles. Rare dinosaurs are present here, however, including the large abelisaurid Chenanisaurus barbaricus[4] and an unnamed titanosaurian.[1] These dinosaurs would have lived in the very latest Cretaceous (Late Maastrichtian) approximately 1 million years before the K-Pg boundary [1] and the Chicxulub asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. They therefore provide insights into the diversity of Africa just before the dinosaurs became extinct.
Palaeobiogeography

Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Ajnabia is a member of the Lambeosaurinae, and specifically a member of the Arenysaurini, a clade otherwise known only from Europe. Based on the relationships of Ajnabia to other dinosaurs, and reconstructions of Late Cretaceous continents and seas, it was proposed that dispersal of Lambeosaurinae into North Africa most likely occurred via oceanic dispersal, with hadrosaurs swimming or drifting between Europe and North Africa.[1]
External links

Ajnabia odysseus- the first duckbill dinosaur from Africa- by Nick Longrich

Duckbilled dinosaurs crossed oceans to reach Africa, fossil reveals

References

Longrich, Nicholas R.; Suberbiola, Xabier Pereda; Pyron, R. Alexander; Jalil, Nour-Eddine (2021). "The first duckbill dinosaur (Hadrosauridae: Lambeosaurinae) from Africa and the role of oceanic dispersal in dinosaur biogeography". Cretaceous Research. 120: 104678. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104678. S2CID 228807024.
Southworth, Phoebe (November 5, 2020). "Dinosaurs swam across oceans, landmark study reveals" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
"New fossil discovery suggests dinosaurs traveled across oceans". www.msn.com.
Longrich, N.R.; Pereda-Suberbiola, X.; Jalil, N.-E.; Khaldoune, F.; Jourani, E. (2017). "An abelisaurid from the latest Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) of Morocco, North Africa". Cretaceous Research. 76: 40–52. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2017.03.021.