Sanpasaurus

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Sanpasaurus ("Sanpa lizard") is the name given to the mixed-up fossils of sauropod and iguanodontian dinosaurs from the Jurassic of Sichuan, China. The type species, S. yaoi, was described by Chung Chien Young, in 1944, who recognized that the remains arrived to the lab in a jumbled state, so that their association was not definite. The type remains consisted of 20 vertebrae, scapulae, forelimbs, and some hindlimb bones. Due to the taxonomic confusion, it is now considered to be a nomen dubium. However, it could in principle be re-employed if better, comparable remains were found from the same formation, and/or a detailed redescription takes place.

A possible second species (or typographical misinterpretation) assigned to the genus, S. imperfectus, is also considered to be a nomen dubium.

[edit] References

• The Dinosaur Encyclopaedia
• A mention buried at the bottom of a long discussion of Asian sauropods, on the Dinosaur Mailing List.