Cristatusaurus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cristatusaurus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Saurischia
Family: Spinosauridae
Subfamily: Baryonychinae
Genus: Cristatusaurus
Species: C. lapparenti
Binomial name
Cristatusaurus lapparenti
Taquet and Russell (1998)

Cristatusaurus (meaning "Crested reptile") was a genus of spinosaurid theropod dinosaur. It lived during the Early Cretaceous Period.

Its fossils were found at Gadoufaoua in Niger, Africa, in 1973. These fossils are quite similar to those of Baryonyx and Suchomimus. The type species, C. lapparenti, was formally described by Taquet and Russell, in 1998.

There is some debate over the identity of this creature, in that some argue that it may be the same as Suchomimus. Some therefore suggest that this should be a nomen dubium.

[edit] References