Genusaurus

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Genusaurus sisteronis
Temporal range: Early Cretaceous, 106Ma
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Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Theropoda
Clade: †Abelisauria
Family: †Noasauridae
Genus: †Genusaurus
Species: † G. sisteronis
Binomial name
Genusaurus sisteronis
Accarie et al., 1995

Genusaurus (/ˌdʒɛnjuːˈsɔrəs/ JEN-ew-SAWR-əs;[1] meaning "knee lizard") is a genus of dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous. Its fossils were found in France. Scientists have estimated the length of Genusaurus to have been 3 m (9.8 ft)[2] and its weight 50 kg (110 lb).[3] Genusaurus is believed to have lived during the Albian faunal stage, around 112-100 million years ago.[2][4]

Species and classification

The type species, Genusaurus sisteronis, is the only known species. It is based on a partial skeleton found in 1984-1986 and described by Accarie, Beaudoin, Dejax, Fries, Michard, and Taquet in 1995.[5] The genus name is derived from the Latin word genu (knee) and refers to a crest in front of the proximal end of the tibia.[5] The species name refers to Sisteron, the town near which the specimen was found.[5]

Accarie et al. assigned Genusaurus to the ceratosaur group of theropods.[5] A 2008 cladistic analysis by Carrano and Sampson placed Genusaurus in the Noasauridae along with Laevisuchus, Masiakasaurus, Noasaurus, and Velocisaurus; in turn, noasaurids are part of the abelisaur group, which is part of the ceratosaur group.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Creisler, Ben (July 7, 2003). "Dinosauria Translation and Pronunciation Guide G". Retrieved December 7, 2012. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2007). Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages. Genus list "last updated 8/1/2008". New York: Random House. ISBN 978-0-375-82419-7. 
  3. ↑ Montague, J. R. (2006). "Estimates of body size and geological time of origin for 612 dinosaur genera (Saurischia, Ornithischia)". Florida Scientist 69 (4): 243–257. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Carrano, Matthew T.; Sampson, Scott D. (2007). "The Phylogeny of Ceratosauria (Dinosauria: Theropoda)". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 6 (02): 183–236. doi:10.1017/S1477201907002246. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Accarie, H., B. Beaudoin, J. Dejax, G. Fries, J.C. Michard, and P. Taquet (1995). "Decouverte d'un Dinosaure Theropode nouveau (Genusaurus sisteronis n. g., n. sp.) dans l'Albien marin de Sisteron (Alpes de Haute-Provence, France) et extension au Cretace inferieur de la lignee ceratosaurienne". Compte rendu hebdomadaire des seances de l'Academie des Sciences Paris. 320(2):327-334. Translation into English.

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