Capitalsaurus
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, and it lived during the Cretaceous
. It is a nomen nudum
, having never been formally described.
"Capitalsaurus" fossils were discovered in January 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.
The only known 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. Others note that this is hardly the only dinosaur with a common name that does not helpfully reflect its taxonomy.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Its fossils were discovered in Washington, DC. It was a theropod, and it lived during the Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
. It is a nomen nudum
Nomen nudum
The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...
, having never been formally described.
"Capitalsaurus" fossils were discovered in January 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.
The only known 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. Others note that this is hardly the only dinosaur with a common name that does not helpfully reflect its taxonomy.
External links
- "Capitalsaurus" in The Theropod Database
- Official Dinosaur Designation Act of 1998