Capitalsaurus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Capitalsaurus" is the informal name given to a genus of dinosaur from North America. Its fossils were discovered in Washington, DC. It was a theropod (meat-eating dinosaur), and it lived during the Cretaceous. It is a nomen nudum, having never been formally described.
"Capitalsaurus" fossils were discovered in January of 1898 at the intersection of First and F Streets S.E., in the District of Columbia - an intersection now designated as Capitalsaurus Court. These fossils were not uncovered by any paleontological activity, but as a by-product of sewer work.
The "Capitalsaurus" is the official dinosaur of the District of Columbia.[1]
The only type specimen of "Capitalsaurus" consists of part of a single vertebra. Some paleontologists feel that this is insufficient justification for a name that suggests an entire genus, and that "Capitalsaurus" is merely an undetermined theropod.[2] Others note that this is hardly the only dinosaur with a common name that does not helpfully reflect its taxonomy.[3]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- "Capitalsaurus" in The Theropod Database
- [1]