Issi
First non-avian dinosaur described from Greenland.
Issi is a genus of plateosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic in what is now Greenland, specifically in the Fleming Fjord Formation. Its name comes from the Greenlandic word for "cold," and its single species, *Issi saaneq*, translates to "cold bone." The fossils that eventually became Issi were originally thought to belong to *Plateosaurus engelhardti*, but later discoveries prompted a fresh look at the material. This re-examination revealed features previously seen only in certain Brazilian sauropodomorphs, like *Unaysaurus* and *Macrocollum*, leading scientists to classify Issi as a separate genus in 2021. It is the first non-avian dinosaur ever described from Greenland.
The first relevant fossil—a skull from a basal sauropodomorph—was uncovered on July 27, 1991, at a site called Iron Cake on the east coast of Greenland, near the Flemingfjord. The team included members from Harvard University, led by Farish Jenkins. This find was reported in 1994 and initially assigned to *Plateosaurus engelhardti*, though that identification was questioned in 2018. A smaller juvenile skull was found in 1995, and three more skeletons were excavated in 2012. After CT scans and digital analysis of the first two skulls, a master's thesis by Victor Beccari concluded they represented a new species. In 2021, the species *Issi saaneq* was formally named by Beccari and colleagues. The genus name means "cold" and the species name means "bone" in Kalaallisut, referencing that this was the most northern basal sauropodomorph known.
The holotype, NHMD 164741, is a relatively complete skull with lower jaws and teeth, found in 1994 in the Malmros Klint Member of the Fleming Fjord Formation. It is missing parts of the right side and the rear of the right lower jaw, and it belongs to a late juvenile or subadult. The paratype, NHMD 164758, is a more complete skull from a younger juvenile, about a third shorter than the holotype. Both are housed in the Natural History Museum of Denmark. The three skeletons from 2012 were not formally described or assigned to Issi in 2021, so the description was limited to the head.
The holotype skull measures 243.7 millimeters in length.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Issi saaneq
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
On 27 July 1991, at the east coast of Greenland, on Jameson Land, in the Iron Cake site on the northern slope of the MacKnight Bjerg near the Flemingfjord, by William W. Amaral, William R. Downs, Stephen M. Gatesy, Neil H. Shubin and Niels Bonde, members of a team from Harvard University headed by Farish Jenkins, a skull was uncovered of a basal sauropodomorph. In 1994, the find was reported in the scientific literature and referred to Plateosaurus engelhardti. In 2018, the correctness of this assignment was doubted. In 1995, a skull was discovered of a smaller juvenile animal. In 2012, an additional three skeletons were excavated.
Reader's Guide
Issi is significant as the first non-avian dinosaur described from Greenland, expanding the known geographic range of Late Triassic sauropodomorphs into high northern latitudes. Its fossils, originally misidentified as Plateosaurus, were reassessed in 2021 based on new finds and detailed analysis, revealing features previously thought exclusive to Brazilian sauropodomorphs such as Unaysaurus and Macrocollum. This reassignment highlights the importance of re-examining historical collections with modern techniques. The holotype and paratype skulls, representing different juvenile stages, provide insight into growth and variation within early sauropodomorphs. The discovery underscores the potential of Greenland's Fleming Fjord Formation for further paleontological finds and contributes to understanding dinosaur dispersal during the Late Triassic.
Did You Know?
- Issi saaneq means 'cold bone' in Greenlandic (Kalaallisut).
- The holotype skull was discovered on 27 July 1991 by a Harvard University team.
- Fossils of Issi were originally assigned to Plateosaurus trossingensis before being recognized as a distinct genus in 2021.
- The paratype skull (NHMD 164758) is about one-third shorter than the holotype, representing a medium-stage juvenile.
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