Ziapelta

Ziapelta is an extinct genus of ankylosaurid. Its fossils have been found in the Hunter Wash and De-na-zin members of the Kirtland Formation of Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) New Mexico. It was named in 2014, in a research paper led by ankylosaur researcher Victoria Arbour. There is a single species in the genus, Ziapelta sanjuanensis. The genus is named after the Zia sun symbol, a stylized sun with four groups of rays, having religious significance to the Zia people of New Mexico, and the iconic symbol on the state flag of New Mexico, and pelta (Latin), a small shield, in reference to the osteoderms found on all ankylosaurids. The specific name is in reference to San Juan County and the San Juan basin, where the fossils were found. Multiple specimens have been described to date, though the fossils are mostly from the front part of the animal. Its closest relative appears to be either Scolosaurus or Nodocephalosaurus, depending on what cladistic model is used.

==Discovery== left|thumb|Location and stratigraphy of the find An expedition from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science and the State Museum of Pennsylvania, led by Robert Michael Sullivan, discovered a number of Z. sanjuanensis fossils in the Kirtland Formation in 2011. The specimens were found in the Hunter Wash and De-na-zin Members of the formation in the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness in New Mexico. Z. sanjuanensis was identified as a new species from a number of fossils including the holotype NMMNH P-64484 found from the De-na-zin Member and consisting of a complete skull lacking the lower jaws, parts of the first two cervical half-rings, and a number of partial osteoderms; and a referred specimen NMMNH P-66930 from the older Hunter Wash Member, consisting of a first cervical half-ring. By argon dating of ash layers the age of the holotype skull has been determined at between 72.98 and 72.62 million years old, the late Campanian. It was initially prepared by Amanda K. Cantrell and Thomas L. Suazo; later by Larry Rinehart.