Cetiosaurus oxoniensis

Cetiosaurus (meaning “whale lizard”) was a large sauropod dinosaur from the mid to late Jurassic Period. It had a long neck with a small head and an extremely long tail, it was walking on all fours probably shaking the earth with every step. It is estimated that an adult Cetiosaurus may have weighed up to around 25 tons. Like all sauropods, it was an herbivore. This dinosaur would most likely have lived together in herds, footprints of sauropod dinosaurs herding together have been found on coastlines across the world, even possibly at Saltwick Bay, Whitby [Scroll down, alas no image as yet].

Did you know?

Cetiosaurus was the very first sauropod to be discovered, and is the best known sauropod dinosaur from England.

Cetiosaurus was first discovered in 1841 on the Isle of Wight and named by Sir Richard Owen. He first thought the bones must belong to some sort of large marine reptile, thus the name. Several more specimens of Cetiosaurus were discovered in the late 1840s and an almost complete specimen was discovered in 1868. Thomas Huxley eventually recognized Cetiosaurus as a dinosaur after the magnificent find in 1869. Several isolated bones from a dinosaur were discovered in the late 18th century on the North East coast at Whitby which possibly belong to Cetiosaurus. Four separate species are known from Cetiosaurus including the most famous Cetiosaurus oxoniensis, which was discovered at Rutland in Oxfordshire. This specimen was from the Bajocian stage of the Jurassic Period.

Name

Cetiosaurus oxoniensis

Authority

Phillips, 1871

Meaning of generic name

Whale lizard

Meaning of specific name

from Oxford

Size

Length: 18 m

Remains

Vertebrae, ribs and limb fragments

Age and Distribution

(Bajocian), Isle of Wight, UK

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Sauropoda Cetiosauridae

Further Reading

Upchurch P & Martin J (2003). "The Anatomy and Taxonomy of Cetiosaurus (Saurischia, Sauropoda) from the Middle Jurassic of England". Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 23 (1): 208–231.

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Cetiosaurus oxoniensis, May 4, 2009:

Istiodactylus latidens

Originally described by Seeley in 1901 and thought to be a bird, Istiodactylus has been recognized as a pterosaur and changed its name from Ornithodesmus because the original material used for the description also contained some theropod dinosaur bones. Istiodactylus lived during the Early Cretaceous of what is now England. It had a flat rounded shape beak with an unusually large naso-antorbital fenestra which is occupying most of the snout. Istiodactylus and its relatives could had lived on a diet of fish; however, given the general distribution of istiodactylids, they would have to be inland piscivores rather like modern pelicans. There have also been some proposition that they were actually scavengers, as they were more efficient walkers than other ornithocheiroids and had teeth similar to those of some sharks.

Name

Istiodactylus latidens

Authority

(Seeley, 1901) Howse, Milner & Martill, 2001

Meaning of generic name

Sail Finger

Meaning of specific name

broad tooth

Size

Wingspan: 4-5 m, Skull length: 560 mm

Remains

Four partial skeletons.

Age and Distribution

Early Cretaceous (Barremian) Vectis Formation of the Isle of Wight, England, UK.

Classification

Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheiroidea Istiodactylidae

Further Reading

Hooley, R. W., 1913, On the skeleton of Ornithodesmus latidens. An ornithosaur from the Wealden shales of Atherfield (Isle of Wight), Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society, 69: 372-421.

Howse, S. C. B., Milner A. R., and Martill, D. M., 2001, Pterosaurs. Pp. 324-335 in: Martill, D. M. and Naish, D., eds. Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight, The Palaeontological Association.

Synonyms

Ornithodesmus latidens Seeley, 1901

Metriorhynchus

Metriorhynchus (meaning “moderate snout”) was an active predator probably preying on fish and smaller marine creatures, it likely spent most if not all of its life in the open ocean. It is estimated that Metriorhynchus may have been able to reach lengths of around 10 feet (3 metres).

It was first discovered in Germany, 1830. Remains of Metriorhynchus have been discovered at various localities across Europe and South America. In the U.K. specimens have been recovered from the famous Oxford clay and is composed of up to 5 different species, with M. superciliosus from the Callovian-Oxfordian, and M. durobrivensis from the Callovian, being the best known. Metriorhynchus also appeared in the Kimmeridgian.

Name

Metriorhynchus

Authority

von Meyer, 1830

Meaning of generic name

Moderate Snout

Meaning of specific names

durobrivensis=from Durobrivae. = Latin name for Roman period of Rochester (Latin later Roffa) Superciliosus=browey (supercilium=eye-brow, cilium=eye-lash)

Size

Length: 3 m

Remains

Several isolated bones, several complete skeletons

Age and Distribution

Callovian - Kimmeridgian, Europe, South America

Classification

Paracrocodylomorpha, Diapsida, Mesoeucrocodylia, Thatlattosuchia, Metriorhynchidae

Further Reading

Andrews CW. 1913. A descriptive catalogue of the marine reptiles of the Oxford Clay, Part Two. London: British Museum (Natural History), 206 pp.

Synonyms

Suchodus Lydekker, 1890 Purranisaurus Rusconi, 1948

Images by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Metriorhynchus superciliosus, January 15, 2007:

Same, December 7, 2008:

Parexus recurvus

Parexus is an extinct genus of acanthodian fish, the acanthodians are often referred to as ‘spiny sharks’ despite the fact acanthodians evolved perhaps 50 million years earlier than sharks. They share several features with bony fish and cartilaginous fish; they often have spines supporting their fins.

Parexus is recognised by its obscenely large anterior dorsal fin spine. Several fossils have been discovered from the Early (Lower) Devonian Period of Tillywhandland, Scotland. Besides P. recurvus, a second species, P. falcatus Powrie, 1870 also from Scotland has also been described.

Name

Parexus recurvus

Authority

Agassiz, 1845

Meaning of generic name

From Greek, parexis, a furnishing, or decoration

Meaning of specific name

curved (around itself or backwards) [and falcatus means "with a sickle"]

Size

Length: 15 cm

Remains

Articulated skeletons.

Age and Distribution

Lower Devonian, Tillywhandland, Scotland

Classification

Acanthodii Climatiiformes Climatiidae

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Parexus recurvus, November 20, 2008:

Palaeoherpeton decorum

Originally named Palaeogyrinus ("Ancient tadpole"), Palaeoherpeton from the Upper Carboniferous of Scotland is an Embolomeri tetrapod related to Eogyrinus but smaller in size. It is only known by a single incomplete skull with no postcranial remains.

Name

Palaeoherpeton decorum

Authority

(Watson, 1926) Panchen, 1970

Meaning of generic name

Ancient Crawler

Meaning of specific name

Fitting / Embellishing

Size

Skull length: 17 cm; Length: 2 m

Remains

Skull

Age and Distribution

Parrot Coal of Pirnie Colliery Fifeshire, Scotland, UK

Classification

Tetrapoda Emblomeri Eogyrinidae

Further Reading

Panchen, A.L., 1964. The cranial anatomy of two Coal measure anthracosaurs. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 242, 207-281.

Synonyms

Palaeogyrinus decorus Watson, 1926

Pantydraco caducus

Pantydraco lived during the Late (Upper) Triassic (Rhaetian) Period and perhaps Early Jurassic of what is now the United Kingdom. Pantydraco was a genus of basal sauropodomorph dinosaur and was originally believed to be a juvenile Thecodontosaurus and described from a partial skeleton including a skull in 2003. However, further analysis led to the conclusion and discovery that Pantydraco warranted its own separate genus after a paper was published in 2007. Together with Thecodontosaurus antiquus, it is the basalmost sauropodomorph known from Europe.

The diet of Pantydraco would have most likely been herbivorous but there is debate whether Pantydraco would have been an omnivore, it would have walked bipedally. Only one valid species of Pantydraco is recognised; caducus. The name Pantydraco comes from Pantyffynnon a small village in Southern Wales where the specimen was discovered in a quarry.

Name

Pantydraco caducus

Authority

(Yates, 2003)

Meaning of generic name

Abbreviation of Pant-y-ffynnon Quarry plus Latin, draco, a fabulous lizard-like animal.

Meaning of specific name

Latin, caducus, fallen (the holotype specimen may have died by falling into a fissure).

Remains

Holotype (BMNH P24): nearly complete skull, vertebrae, humeri, partial right ischium.

Referred specimens: several partial skeletons and isolated bones (BMNH P24/3, a right ischium; BMNH P39/2, a left coracoid; BMNH P59/5, a right quadrate; BMNH P64/1, a series of eight proximal–mid caudals; BMNH P65/21, a right ectopterygoid; BMNH P77/1, a series of distal caudal vertebrae, the right ilium, femur, tibia, fibula and pes; BMNH P126/1, a ?proximal pubis; BMNH P141/1, a basioccipital.)

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Upper Triassic (Rhaetian) or Lower Jurassic. Locality: old Pant-yffynnon Quarry , near Bonvilston, South Glamorgan, South Wales, UK.

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Sauropodomorpha

Further Reading

A. M. Yates. 2003. A new species of the primitive dinosaur Thecodontosaurus (Saurischia: Sauropodomorpha) and its implications for the systematics of early dinosaurs. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 1(1):1-42.

P. M. Galton, A. M. Yates, and D. M. Kermack. 2007. Pantydraco n. gen. for Thecodontosaurus caducus Yates, 2003, a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Upper Triassic or Lower Jurassic of South Wales, UK. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Abhandlungen 243(1):119-125.

Synonyms

Thecodontosaurus caducus Yates, 2003

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Pantydraco caducus, October 22, 2007:

Creationist suspicion:

What if Pantydraco and Thecodontosaurus antiquus are both just varieties of some other kind?/HGL

Ischnacanthus gracilis

Ischnacanthus was a type of fish belonging to the class Acanthodii. Remains have been discovered in the Lochkovian/Emsian stages of the Devonian Period in the Tillywhandland quarry (one of the best early Devonian fish sites in Scotland), Old Red Sandstone, Forfarshire, they first appeared in the very late Silurian Period. Fossil remains have also been discovered in North America.

Their bodies were covered with small mosaic scales, they had small teeth which were primarily situated in the lower jaws, and some of the species had no teeth. The majority of their fins (except caudal) were supported by elongated spines made of dentine. Three species are attributed to Ischnacanthus; the more commonly known I.gracilis and, I.kingi and I.wickhami, the latter two named by White in 1961, they were most likely active predatory fish.

Name

Ischnacanthus gracilis

Authority

Egerton, 1861

Meaning of generic name

Thin spine

Meaning of specific name

graceful

Size

Length: 10 cm

Remains

Complete fossils.

[Complete skeletons or more ?]

Age and Distribution

Early Permian, Tillywhandland Quarry, Forfar, Scotland

Classification

Acanthodii Ischnacanthiformes Ischnacanthidae

Further Reading

C. J. Burrow. 2007. Early Devonia (Emsian) Acanthodian Faunas Of The Western USA. Journal of Paleontology; September 2007; v. 81; no. 5; p. 824-840.

Gnathosaurus subulatus

The first remains of Gnathosaurus (a jaw fragment) found in the Solnhofen limestones of Bavaria were mistaken with those of a crocodile. This small size pterosaur is characterized by a slender skull comparable to Ctenochasma but with a distinct sagittal crest on top of the snout. A series of vertebrae from the Purbeck Limestones in England, named Pterodactylus macrurus may belong to G. subulatus.

Name

Gnathosaurus subulatus

Authority

Meyer, 1834

Meaning of generic name

Jaw Lizard.

Meaning of specific name

"with an awl/awls" or "awled" (referring to teeth)

Size

Skull length: 28 cm, Wingspan: 1.7 m

Remains

Several skeletons.

Age and Distribution

Late Jurassic (Tithonian), Solnhofen limestones, Bavaria, Southern Germany.

Purbeck limestones, Wealden, Dorset, England, UK.

Classification

Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ctenochasmatoidea Ctenochasmatidae Gnatosaurinae

Further Reading

Seeley H. G., 1869, Note on the Pterodactylus macrurus (Seeley), a new species from the Purbeck Limestone, indicated by caudal vertebrae five inches long, (and) Note on the thinning away to the westward in the Isle of Purbeck of the Wealden and Lower Greensand strata. Proc. Cambridge philos. Soc. 7-10, 130.

Synonyms

Crocodilus multidens Munster, 1832; Gnathosaurus multidens (Munster, 1832); Gavialis priscus Quenstedt, 1855 (nomen dubium); Gnathosaurus macrurus (Seeley, 1869) Howse & Milner, 1995; Pterodactylus macrurus Seeley, 1869 (nomen dubium)

Eustreptospondylus oxoniensis

Eustreptospondylus is known from a single disarticulated skeleton of a juvenile or subadult from the marine deposits of the Middle Jurassic Oxford Clay of England. This medium size theropod is the best known megalosaurid from the northern hemisphere, and the second most complete theropod skeleton known from Western Europe (Baryonyx being first). The fact that it was discovered in marine sediments indicate that it may have been a coastal predator whose carcass was washed ashore. Although the estimated length of the juvenile skeleton is 4-5 meters, the adults were probably much larger.

Name

Eustreptospondylus oxoniensis

Authority

Walker, 1964

Meaning of generic name

Well-curved vertebrae

Meaning of specific name

from Oxford [or from Oxford Clay Formation]

Size

Length: 5 m

Remains

Disarticulated skull and postcranial elements.

Age and Distribution

Chipping Norton Formation, Oxford Clay Formation, Oxfordshire, Middle Oxford Clay Formation (Stewartby Member), Buckinghamshire, England.

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Theropoda Spinosauroidea Megalosauridae

Further Reading

A. D. Walker. 1964. Triassic reptiles from the Elgin area: Ornithosuchus and the origin of carnosaurs. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B, Biological Sciences 248:53-134.

Synonyms

Magnosaurus oxoniensis (Walker, 1964) Rauhut, 2003

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Eustreptospondylus oxoniensis, June 10, 2012:

Elginia mirabilis

Elginia was a small pareiasaur, and part of the family pareiasauridae. Fossils of Elginia have been discovered in rocks dating to the Wuchiapingian and Tatarian Stages of the late Permian Period. It was discovered at Cutties Hillock Millstone Quarry, near Elgin, Scotland hence the name Elginia, at least two adult specimens have been discovered at this locality.

Elginia was a dwarf form of pareiasaur, it probably only reached about 60 centimetres in length (2feet). Perhaps the most striking feature about this animal was the several protruding spikes from the skull two of which were exceedingly long; the spikes were probably used for display purposes as opposed to a defence mechanism. Ribs, presacral vertebrae, sections of the shoulder girdle and forelimbs have also been discovered from Elginia. Two species of Elginia are currently considered valid; mirabilis and gordoni. Elginia like all pareiasaurs was herbivorous and probably fed on land plants, it became extinct at the end of the Permian Period. Several tracks of footprints in Scotland have also been considered to belong to Elginia.

Name

Elginia mirabilis

Authority

Newton, 1893

Meaning of generic name

From Elgin

Meaning of specific name

Wonderful

Size

Length: ~60 cm

Remains

Skull, Ribs, Presacral Vertebrae, Shoulder Girdle and Forelimbs

Age and Distribution

Upper Permian Elgin Formation of Scotland, UK.

Classification

Anapsida Hallucicrania Pareiasauria

Further Reading

Newton, E. T., 1893, On some new reptiles from the Elgin Sandstone: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, series B, v. 184, p. 473-489.

P. S. SPENCER and M. S. Y. LEE. A JUVENILE ELGINIA AND EARLY GROWTH IN PAREIASAURS. Journal of Paleontology; November 2000; v. 74; no. 6; p. 1191-1195; DOI: 10.1666/0022-3360 (2000 074<1191:AJEAEG>2.0.CO;2 © 2000 Paleontological Society)

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Elginia mirabilis, November 8, 2007:

Dimorphodon macronyx

Probably one of the most well known pterosaurs after Pteranodon et al, Dimorphodon was a genus of medium-sized pterosaur known from England and described by Richard Owen in 1859. The name Dimorphodon means ‘two-form tooth’ in reference to the two distinct types of teeth in its jaws. Mary Anning one of the earliest and most noted fossil collectors discovered the first specimen of Dimorphodon in 1828 from the Blue Lias formation within the Hettangian/Sinemurian Stages of the Lower Jurassic rocks of Lyme Regis, Dorset, England.

The two types of teeth implied in the name are present in each jaw, a set of 30-40 small pointed teeth with four larger teeth at the front. The wingspan of Dimorphodon was around 1.2-2.5 metres (4-8 ft), it had a large bulky skull 22 centimetres in length and the tail consisted of thirty vertebrae, the latter vertebrae were stiffened by elongated vertebral processes. Much debate on how Dimorphodon may have stood/walked (when it wasn’t flying) has led to several ideas proposed, whether it was quadrupedal or bipedal. It probably inhabited coastlines hunting for fish in the oceans.

Name

Dimorphodon macronyx

Authority

(Buckland, 1829)

Meaning of generic name

Two-formed tooth

Meaning of specific name

Big Claw

Size

Wingspan: 1.2 m, Length: 1 m, Skull: 21.5 cm

Remains

Several specimens all disarticulated and crushed

Age and Distribution

Lyme Regis region, Dorset and Gloucestershire, England, UK

Classification

Pterosauria Dimorphodontidae

Further Reading

Owen, R. (1859). "On a new genus (Dimorphodon) of pterodactyle, with remarks on the geological distribution of flying reptiles." Rep. Br. Ass. Advmnt Sci., 28 (1858): 97–103.

Synonyms

Pterodactylus macronyx Buckland, 1829, Pterodactylus marderi Owen, 1874 [nomen dubium], Dimorphodon weintraubi Clark, Hopson, Hernández, Fastovsky & Montellano, 1998

Dakosaurus maximus

Dakosaurus (meaning "tearing lizard") is better known from the well publicized 1996 discovery of the Argentinian species, D. andiniensis, dubbed "Godzilla" in the press, but the first remains of this animal were actually found in Western Europe, including England, with the species D. maximus.

With an estimated length of up to 6 meters, Dakosaurus was the top predator of its time, feeding on large prey which might have included sharks, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. It had a relatively short skull compared to the other thalattosuchians, with jaws equipped with huge teeth ideal for crushing bones. Dakosaurus lived during the Kimmeridgian and Tithonian and was represented by four species: D. maximus, D. andiniensis, D. manselii, and D. nicaeensis.

Name

Dakosaurus maximus

Authority

von Quenstedt, 1856

Meaning of generic name

Tearing Lizard

Meaning of specific name

maximus = largest,

[andiniensis = from Andes, nicaeensis = from Nicea/Nice in Turkey or from Nice/Nizza in France, manselii = of Mansel ?]

Size

Length: 6 m

Remains

Several isolated bones, teeth,

Age and Distribution

Kimmeridgian - Tithonian, Europe, South America

Classification

Paracrocodylomorpha, Diapsida, Archsauromorpha, Mesoeucrocodylia, Thalattosuchia, Metriorhynchidae

Further Reading

P. Vignaud (1) ; Z. Gasparini 1996, New Dakosaurus (Crocodylomorpha, Thalattosuchia) in the Upper Jurassic of Argentina, Comptes rendus de l'Académie des sciences.vol. 322, no3, pp. 245-250 (11 ref.)

Other species

D. andiniensis, Vignaud & Gasparini, 1996 D. manselii, Hulke, 1870 and D. nicaeensis, Ambayrac, 1913.

Synonyms

Dacosaurus Sauvage, 1873 Plesiosuchus Owen, 1884

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Dakosaurus maximus, December 12, 2008

Coccosteus cuspidatus

Coccosteus is an extinct genus of arthrodire placoderm; placoderms were a class of armoured prehistoric fish. Their fossils have been discovered throughout Europe and across North America. Fossils of Coccosteus are very common in the Sandwick Fish Bed’s of Scotland. Only two known species are attributed to Coccosteus including; cuspidatus and decipiens. The head was covered with a regular number of bony plates and the body of these fish were long and slender ending in a narrow tail. This genus could grow to lengths of around 40 cm (almost 16 inches).

What Coccosteus lacked in size it made up for with its mouth. It had an internal joint between its neck vertebrae and the back of the skull, allowing the mouth to be opened even wider, this allowed Coccosteus to feed on fairly large prey. All arthrodires had bony dental plates in their jaws; these plates formed a sharp ‘beak’. The beak in arthrodires has often been falsely identified as ‘true teeth’, where in actual fact the beak is a result of the dental plates grinding against one another, thus keeping the beak sharp.

Name

Coccosteus cuspidatus

Authority

Miller ex Agassiz, 1841

Meaning of generic name

Seed Bone-y

[Seed-Bone as a noun would have been kokkosteon in Greek.]

Meaning of specific name

Pointed

Size

Length: 25-40 cm

Remains

Complete specimens

[Complete with soft tissue or just complete with skeleta and outer bone parts ?]

Age and Distribution

Achanarras Horizon, Middle Old Red Sandstone, Sandwick Fish Bed's, Scotland, Middle Devonian, (Eifelian-Givetian).

Classification

Placodermi Arthrodira Coccosteoidea Coccosteidae

Further Reading

I.-Homosteus, Asmuss, compared with Coccosteus, Agassiz. Dr R. H. Traquair. Geological Magazine (Decade III), Volume 6, Issue 01, January 1889, pp 1-8 Published Online by Cambridge University Press 01 May 2009

Image by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Coccosteus cuspidatus, August 11, 2007:

Camelotia borealis

Camelotia was a large sauropodomorph (estimated length: 10 m) from the Upper Triassic of England. It is known from fragmentary postcranial elements. It is generally considered related to the South African Melanorosaurus.

Name

Camelotia borealis

Authority

Galton, 1985

Meaning of generic name

From Camelot

Meaning of specific name

From the North

Size

Length: ? 10 m , Skull length: ?

Remains

Holotype (BMNH R.2870-2874, R.2876-2878): Vertebrae, pubis, ischium, femur, tibia, phalanges

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Westbury Formation, Up. Triassic (Rhaetian).

Locality: Wedmore Hill, Somerset, England, UK.

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Sauropodomorpha Sauropoda Anchisauria Melanosauridae

Further Reading

P. M. Galton. 1985. "Notes on the Melanorosauridae, a family of large prosauropod dinosaurs (Saurischia: Sauropodomorpha)." Géobios 18(5):671-676.

P. M. Galton. 1998. "Saurischian dinosaurs from the Upper Triassic of England: Camelotia (Prosauropoda, Melanorosauridae) and Avalonianus (Theropoda, ?Carnosauria)." Palaeontographica Abteilung A 250(4-6):155-172

Synonyms

Gresslyosaurus ingens Huene, 1907-08, 1932 referred, Plateosaurus borealis (Galton, 1985) Galton, 2001; Avalonia sanfordi Seeley, 1898 (partim); Avalonianus sanfordi (Seeley, 1898) Kuhn, 1961; Picrodon herveyi Seeley, 1898 (partim)

Baryonyx walkeri

Baryonyx is known from a partial skull and postcranial skeleton and is to date the most complete theropod found in England, it was discovered in a pit in Surrey, England, 1983. It was found by amateur palaeontologist William Walker. At least 70% of the specimen was recovered and is on display in the Natural History Museum, London. Its hands were equipped with a huge claw and its crocodile-like snout indicate it was probably a piscivorous animal. It is possible that the genera Suchomimus and Cristatusaurus are junior synonyms of Baryonyx. Suchosaurus cultridens from the Early Cretaceous of England, known from teeth is most probably the same animal than Baryonyx walkeri.

Name

Baryonyx walkeri

Authority

Charig & Milner, 1986

Meaning of generic name

Heavy Claw

Meaning of specific name

of Walker

Size

Length: 9 m

Remains

Partial skull and associated postcranial skeleton.

Age and Distribution

Wealden Beds, Smokejacks Pit, Ockley, Surrey, England.

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Theropoda Spinosauroidea Spinosauridae

Further Reading

A. J. Charig and A. C. Milner. 1986. "Baryonyx, a remarkable new theropod dinosaur." Nature 324(6095):359-361.

Charig, A. J., and Milner A. C., 1990, The systematic position of Baryonyx walkeri, in the light of Gauthier’s reclassification of the Theropoda: In: Dinosaur Systematics, Approaches and Perspectives. Edited by Kenneth Carpenter and Philip J. Currie. Cambridge University Press, p. 127-140.

Synonyms

possible such see text above

Images by Nobu Tamura (click to enlarge)

Baryonyx walkeri, April 5, 2007

same, February 2, 2013:

Asylosaurus yalensis

Name

Asylosaurus yalensis

Authority

Galton, 2007

Meaning of generic name

"Unharmed or Sanctuary Lizard"

Meaning of specific name

Refers to Yale University where O. C. Marsh took the specimen so it was unharmed in air raids on BCM in November, 1940.

Size

Body Length: ?

Remains

Holotype YPM 2195: A partial skeleton including ribs, gastralia, shoulder girdle, dorsal vertebrae and limb material

Age and Distribution

Horizon: Triassic Period (Rhaetian)

Locality: Durdham Down, Clifton, Bristol, U.K.

Classification

Dinosauria Saurischia Sauropodomorpha

Further Reading

Galton, Peter (2007). "Notes on the remains of archosaurian reptiles, mostly basal sauropodomorph dinosaurs, from the 1834 fissure fill (Rhaetian, Upper Triassic) at Clifton in Bristol, southwest England". Revue de Paléobiologie 26 (2): 505–591.

Synonyms

[If the specimen was already there in 1940, what was it known as back then? Was it subsumed under some other already named species back then, the fossil from Durdham Down in Yale?]

Anthracosaurus russelli

Anthracosaurus russelli was a large (estimated length of 3 meters) predatorial eel-like creature that lived in the swamps of Scotland during the Upper Carboniferous. The eel-like shape of the body is assumed on the basis of related genera but the details of the postcranial skeleton is a mystery as only skull fragments of this animal have been found mainly in the Coal Measures of Scotland. A. russelli is currently the only recognized species as A. lancifer from Linton, Ohio, also known from a skull, has been synonymized with Leptophractus obsoletus.

Name

Anthracosaurus russelli

Authority

Huxley, 1863

Meaning of generic name

Coal Lizard

Meaning of specific name

of Russell

Size

Skull length: 40 cm, Length: 3 m

Remains

Skulls and skull fragments.

Age and Distribution

Blackband Ironstone of Airdie, near Glasgow, Scotland (Westphalain B); Usworth Colliery, Washington, Tyne and Wear, England (Westphalian A), UK

Classification

Tetrapoda Emblomeri Anthracosauridae

Further Reading

Huxley, T. H., 1863, "Description of Anthracosaurus russelli, a new labyrinthodont form the Lanarkshire coal field": Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, v. 19, p. 56-68.

Clack J.A. (1987) "Two new specimens of Anthracosaurus (Amphibia: Anthracosauria) from the Northumberland Coal Measures." Palaeontology, 30, 15-26.

Adelospondylus watsoni

Adelospondylus watsoni is only known from a small skull from the Lower carboniferous of Scotland (It was erroneously reported being from the Upper Carboniferous). It belongs to a very poorly known group of Lepospondyli amphibians called Adelospondyli consisting of four genera of very elongated aquatic animals with tiny limbs.

Name

Adelospondylus watsoni

Authority

Carroll, 1967

Size

Skull length: 5 cm, Length: 50 cm

Remains

Skull

Age and Distribution

Lower Carboniferous beds (?Serpukhovian) of Scotland.

Classification

Lepospondyli Adelospondyli Adelogyrinidae

Further Reading

Carroll, R. L., 1967, "An Adelogyrinid Lepospondyl Amphibian from the Upper Carboniferous": Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 45, n. 1, p. 1-16.

Acanthodes bronii

Acanthodes is a genus of plankton feeding spiny sharks which was ubiquitous from the Early Carboniferous to the Early Permian. Fossils have been found throughough Europe and North Amrica. It had fewer spines than its other relatives such as Climatius. Many species of Acanthodes have been described: Acanthodes bourbonensis Heidtke, 1996 (Lower Permian of France); Acanthodes boyi Heidtke, 1993 (Lower Permian of Germany); Acanthodes bridgei Zidek, 1976 (Upper Carboniferous of Kansas); Acanthodes bronii Agassiz, 1833 (Lower Permian of Germany); Acanthodes fritschi Zajic, 1998 (Upper Carboniferous of Czech Republic); Acanthodes gracilis (Beyrich, 1848) (Lower Permian of Czech Republic, Poland and Germany); Acanthodes kinneyi Zidek, 1992 (Upper Carboniferous of New Mexico); Acanthodes lopatini Rohon, 1889 (Lower Carboniferous of southern Central Siberia, Russia); Acanthodes luedersensis (Dalquest et al., 1988) (Lower Permian of Texas); Acanthodes lundi Zidek, 1980 (Upper Carboniferous of Montana); Acanthodes nitidus Woodward, 1891 (Lower Carboniferous of Scotland); Acanthodes ovensi White, 1927 (Lower Carboniferous of Scotland); Acanthodes sippeli Heidtke, 1996 (Upper Carboniferous of Germany); Acanthodes stambergi Zajic, 2005 (Lower Permian of Czech Republic); Acantodes sulcatus Agassiz, 1835 (Lower Carboniferous of Scotland); Acanthodes tholeyi Heidtke, 1990 (Lower Permian of Germany); Acanthodes wardi Egerton, 1866 (Upper Carboniferous of England and Scotland).

Name

Acanthodes bronii

Authority

Agassiz, 1833

[Note: he was opposed to Darwin, while a botanist supported the latter.]

Size

Length: 30 cm

Remains

Complete fossils.

Age and Distribution

Early Permian, Rotliegend, Germany

Classification

Acanthodii Acanthodiformes Acanthodidae

United Kingdom

• United Kingdom
  • Acanthodes (Acanthodi, Lo.-Up. Carb., Scotland, England)
  • Adelospondylus (Lepospond.,Lo. carb. [Serp.], Scotland)
  • Anthracosaurus (Embolomeri, Up. Carb. [Westph B, Moscov.], Scotland)
  • Asylosaurus (Sauropod Triassic, Bristol)
  • Baryonyx (Theropod, Wealden beds, Lo. Cret. [Barrem.], England)
  • Camelotia (Sauropod., Westbury Fm, Up. Trias. [Rhaetian], England)
  • Climatius (Acanthodi, Lo. Dev., Scotland)
  • Coccosteus (Placodermi, Mid Dev, [Eifelian-Givetian], Scotland)
  • Dakosaurus (Thalattosuchia, Upper Jurassic. [Kimm/Tithon] England)
  • Dimorphodon (Pterosaur, Lyme Regis, Lo. Jur. [Sinem.], England)
  • Elginia (Pareiasaur, Elgin Fm, Up. Perm. [Wuch.])
  • Eustreptospondylus (Theropod, Oxford Clay Fm, Mi. Jur. [Call.], England)
  • Gnathosaurus (Pterosaur, Wealden, Up. Jur. [Tith.], England)
  • Ischnacanthus (Acanthodii, Old Red Sandstone Fm, Lo Dev, Scotland)
  • Istiodactylus (Pterosaur, Vectis Fm, Lo. Cret. [Barr.] Isle of Wight)
  • Lonchodectes (Pterosauria, Lower - Upper Cretaceous, England)
  • Metriorhynchus (Thalattosuchia, Low to Upper Jurassic, England, Europe)
  • Ornithocheirus (Pterosauria, Upper Cretaceous [Ceno], England, Europe)
  • Palaeoherpeton
  • Pantydraco (Sauropod., Up. Trias. [Rhaet.] or Lo. Jur. [Hett.] South Wales)
  • Parexus
  • Pederpes
  • Pelagosaurus (Thalattosuchia, Lower Jurassic. [Toar] Somerset)
  • Pholiderpeton
  • Proterogyrinus
  • Steneosaurus (Thalattosuchia, Low Jurassic/Low Cret. England)
  • Thecodontosaurus (Sauropod., Bristol, Up. Trias. [Nor.-Rhaet.] England)
• Scat Craigs Beds, Scotland, Upper Devonian (Upper Frasnian)
  • Cosmacanthus malcolmsoni (Placodermi Arthrodira Groenlendaspididae)
  • Bothriolepis paradoxa (Placodermi Antiarchi)
  • Psammosteus cf falcatus (Heterostraci Psammostiform Psammosteidae)
  • Traquairosteus pustulatus (Heterostraci Psammostiform Psammosteidae)
  • Holoptychius nobilissimus (Sarcopterygii Porolepiform)
  • Holoptychius giganteus (Sarcopterygii Porolepiform)
  • Holoptychius decoratus (Sarcopterygii Porolepiform)
  • Duffichthys mirabilis (Sarcopterygii Porolepiform)
  • Conchodus ostreiformis (Dipnoi Dipteridae)
  • Elginerpeton pancheni (Tetrapoda Elginerpetontidae)
• Scotland, Lower Carboniferous (Visean-Namurian)
  • Chondrenchelys problematica (Chondrichthyes Chondrenchelyiform) Glencartholm
  • Crassigyrinus scoticus (Tetrapoda Crassigyrinidae) Gilmerton
  • Acherontiscus caledoniae (Lepospondyli Adelospondyli Acherontiscidae)
  • Adelogyrinus simnorhynchus (Lepospondyli Adelospondyli Adelogyrinidae) Dunnet Shale
  • Palaeomolgophis scoticus (Lepospondyli Adelospondyli Adelogyrinidae) Curley Shale
  • Lethiscus stocki (Lepospondyli Aistopoda Lethiscidae)
  • Ophiderpeton kirktonense (Lepospondyli Aistopoda Ophiderpetontidae) East Kikton
  • Silvanerpeton miripides (Embolomeri) East Kirkton
  • Eoherpeton watsoni (Embolomeri Eoherpetontidae) Gilmerton
  • Pholidogaster pisciformis (Colosteoidea Colosteidae) Gilmerton
  • Casineria kiddi (Amniota) Gullane Fm
• Newsham, Northumberland, UK, Upper Carboniferous (Westphalian B, Lower Moscovian)
  • Pteroplax cornutus (Embolomeri Eogyrinidae)
  • Eogyrinus attheyi (Embolomeri Eogyrinidae)
  • Anthracosaurus russelli (Embolomeri Anthracosauria Anthracosauridae)
  • ?Ophiderpeton nanum (lepospondyli Aistopoda Ophiderpetontidae)
  • Batrachiderpeton reticulatum (Lepospondyli Nectridea Keraterpetontidae)
  • Megalocephalus pachycephalus (Temnospondyli Loxommatidae)
• Kenilworth Sandstone Formation, England, Lower Permian (Asselian)
  • Haptodus grandis (Synapsida Eupelycosauria Sphenacodontia Haptodidae)
• Lossiemouth Sanstones Formation, Scotland, Upper Triassic (Latest Carnian/Early Norian)
  • Leptopleuron lacertinum (Anapsida Procolophonomorpha Procolophonidae)
  • Brachyrhinodon taylori (Sphenodontia Sphenodontidae)
  • Hyperodapedon gordoni (Rhynchosauria Rhynchosauridae)
  • Ornithosuchus longidens (Ornithosuchia Ornithosuchidae)
  • Stagonolepis robersoni (Aetosauria Stagonolepidae)
  • Erpetosuchus granti (Paracrocodylomorpha Erpetosuchidae)
  • Saltopus elginensis (Archosauria)
  • Scleromochlus taylori (Archosauria Scleromochlidae)
• England, Upper Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian)
  • Diphydontosaurus avonis (Sphenodontia Sphenodontidae)
  • Rileyasuchus bristolensis (Phytosauria) nomen dubium
  • Agnosphytis cromhallensis (Saurischia?)
  • Asylosaurus yalensis (Sauropodomorpha)
  • Thecodontosaurus antiquus (Sauropodomorpha)
• Wales, Upper Triassic (Norian/Rhaetian)
  • Terrestrisuchus gracilis (Crocodylomorpha Sphenosuchis Sphenosuchidae)
• SouthWest England, Upper Triassic (Rhaetian)
  • Pachystropheus rhaeticus (Choristodera)
• Lias Formation, England, Lower Jurassic (Early Sinemurian)
  • Sarcosaurus woodi (Theropoda Coelophysoidea?)
• Charmouth Mudstone Formation, Dorset, England, Lower Jurassic (Sinemurian)
  • Scelidosaurus harrisonii (Ornithischia Ankylosauria Scelidosauridae)
  • Ichthyosaurus (Ichthyopterygia IchthyosauriaThunnosauria)
• Middle Inferior Oolite Formation, Inferior Oolite Group, England, Middle Jurassic (Lower Bajocian)
  • Magnosaurus nethercombensis (Theropoda Megalosauroidea Megalosauridae)
• Oxford Clay Formation, South England, Middle-Upper Jurassic (Callovian-Lower Oxfordian)
  • Gryphaea dilatata (Mollusca Bivalvia Gryphaeidae) Weymouth member, Oxfordian
  • Loricatosaurus priscus (Ornithischia Stegosauria Stegosauridae Stegosaurinae)
  • Lexovisaurus durobrivensis (Ornithischia Stegosauria Stegosauridae Stegosaurinae)
  • Callovosaurus leedsi (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Dryosauridae)
  • Cetiosauriscus stewarti (Sauropoda Diplodocoidea Diplodocidae)
  • Metriacanthosaurus parkeri (Theropoda Carnosauria Sinraptoridae) Weymouth member, Oxfordian
• Taynton Limestone Formation, England, Middle Jurassic (Middle Bathonian)
  • Megalosaurus bucklandii (Theropoda Megalosauroidea Megalosauridae)
  • Iliosuchus incognitus (Theropoda Coelurosauria Tyrannosauroidea?)
• Kilmaluag Formation, Skye, Scotland, Middle Jurassic (Late Bathonian)
  • Marmorerpeton kermacki (Lissamphibia)
• Kirlington, Oxfordshire, England, Middle Jurassic (Late Bathonian)
  • Anoualerpeton priscus (Lissamphibia Allocaudata Albanerpetontidae)
  • Marmorerpeton kermacki (Lissamphibia Caudata)
  • Marmorerpeton freemani (Lissamphibia Caudata)
  • Eodiscoglossus oxoniensis (Lissamphibia Salientia Discoglossoidea)
  • Ctenogenys sp. (Choristodera)
• Chipping Norton Limestone Formation, Great Oolite Group, England, Middle Jurassic (Lower Bathonian)
  • Cruxicheiros newmanorum (Theropoda Tetanurae?)
• Forest Marble Formation, Great Oolite Group, Wiltshire, England, Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)
  • Cardiodon rugulosus (Sauropoda)
  • Cetiosaurus oxoniensis (Sauropoda Cetiosauridae)
  • Bothriospondylus robustus (Sauropoda Macronaria Brachiosauridae?) nomen dubium
• White Limestone Formation, Great Oolite Group, Gloucestershire, England, Middle Jurassic (Middle to Late Bathonian)
  • Proceratosaurus bradleyi (Theropoda Tyrannosauroidea)
• Kimmeridge Clay Formation, South England, Upper Jurassic (Kimmeridgian-Tithonian)
  • Dacentrurus armatus (Ornithischia Stegosauria Stegosauridae Dacentrurinae)
  • Camptosaurus prestwichii (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Camptosauridae)
  • Bothriospondylus suffosus (Sauropoda Macronaria Brachiosauridae?) nomen dubium
  • Nannopterygius enthekiodon (Ichthyopterygia Ichthyosauria Thunnosauria Ophthalmosauridae)
  • Brachypterygius extremus, B. mordax (Ichthyopterygia Ichthyosauria Thunnosauria)
  • Stokesosaurus langhami (Theropoda Tyrannosauroidea)
• Lulworth Formation, England, UK, Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian)
  • Nuthetes destructor (Theropoda Deinonychosauria Dromaeosauridae)
• Hasting Beds, Sussex, Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian-Valanginian)
  • Regnosaurus northamptoni (Ornithischia Stegosauria)
• Ashdown Formation, Hastings Group, Sussex, England, Lower Cretaceous (Early Valanginian)
  • Xenoposeidon proneneukos (Sauropoda Neosauropoda)
• Speeton Clay Formation, Germany & England, Lower Cretaceous (basal Hauterivian)
  • Acamptonectes densus (Ichthyopterygia Ichthyosauria Opthalmosauridae Opthalmosaurinae)
• Tunbridge Wells Sand Formation, Hastings Group, England, Lower Cretaceous (Upper Valanginian - Lower Hauterivian)
  • Valdoraptor oweni (Theropoda Tetanurae)
• Wealden Group, England, UK, Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian.-Aptian)
  • Pelorosaurus conybeari (Sauropoda Macronaria Brachiosauridae?)
  • Iuticosaurus valdensis (Sauropoda Macronaria Titanosauria)
  • Becklespinax altispinus (Theropoda Carnosauria Allosauroidea)
• Wessex Formation, Wealden Group, Isle of Wight, UK, Lower Cretaceous (Upper Hauterivian- Lower Barremian)
  • Polyacrodus parvidens (Elasmobranchii Polyacrodontidae)
  • Lissodus striatus (Elasmobranchii Lonchidiidae)
  • Lissodus breve (Elasmobranchii Lonchidiidae)
  • Caulkicephalus trimicrodon (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheirididae)
  • Hypsilophodon foxii (Ornithopoda Hypsilophodontidae)
  • Iguanodon bernissartensis (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Iguanodontidae)
  • Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia)
  • Valdosaurus canaliculatus (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Dryosauridae)
  • Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Iguanodontoidea)
  • Oplosaurus armatus (Sauropoda Turiasauria?)
  • Eucamerotus foxi (Sauropoda Macronaria Brachiosauridae?) nomen dubium
  • Yaverlandia bitholus (Theropoda Tetanurae)
  • Neovenator salerii (Theropoda Carnosauria Neovenatoridae)
  • Calamosaurus foxi (Theropoda Coelurosauria?)
  • Aristosuchus pusillus (Theropoda Compsognathidae)
  • Thecocoelurus daviesi (Theropoda Therizinosauroidea?)
  • Eotyrannus lengi (Theropoda Tyrannosauroidea)
• Vectis Formation, Wealden Group, Isle of Wight, UK, Lower Cretaceous (Barremian-Aptian)
  • Mantellisaurus atherfieldensis (Ornithopoda Iguanodontia Iguanodontoidea)
• Cambridge Greensand Formation, Lower-Upper Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian)
  • Ornithocheirus simus (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheirididae)
  • Ornithocheirus denticulatus (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheirididae)
  • Anhanguera fittoni (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheirididae)
  • Coloborhynchus sedgwicki (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Ornithocheirididae)
  • Lonchodectes machaeorhynchus (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Lonchodectidae)
  • Lonchodectes microdon (Pterosauria Pterodactyloidea Lonchodectidae)
  • Anoplosaurus curtonotus (Ornithischia Ankylosauria Nodosauridae)
  • Brachypterygius cantabridgiensis (Ichthyopterygia Ichthyosauria Thunnosauria)