Halticosaurus
Encyclopedia
Halticosaurus is a genus
of theropod dinosaur
from the Late Triassic
period (middle Norian
stage
, around 208 million years ago). It was a coelophysoid found in the Middle Stubensandstein formation of what is present-day Germany
. Some researchers consider Halticosaurus the same genus as Liliensternus
, but Samuel Welles (1984) found differences in the femoral head and the anterior trochanter
.
The type species
, Halticosaurus longotarsus, was based on
partial jaw
bones and teeth, partial vertebrae, a few arm and leg bones, and fragments of an ilium
, and was found mixed in with the remains of a prosauropod dinosaur, Sellosaurus gracilis. A second species assigned to this genus, "Halticosaurus orbitoangulatus", turned out to be a crocodylomorph (Rauhut and Hungerbuhler, 2000). A third species, H. liliensterni, has been reclassified as Liliensternus
.
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 theropod 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 the Late Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
period (middle Norian
Norian
The Norian is a division of the Triassic geological period. It has the rank of an age or stage . The Norian lasted from 216.5 ± 2.0 to 203.6 ± 1.5 million years ago. It was preceded by the Carnian and succeeded by the Rhaetian.-Stratigraphic definitions:The Norian was named after the Noric Alps in...
stage
Faunal stage
In chronostratigraphy, a stage is a succession of rock strata laid down in a single age on the geologic timescale, which usually represents millions of years of deposition. A given stage of rock and the corresponding age of time will by convention have the same name, and the same boundaries.Rock...
, around 208 million years ago). It was a coelophysoid found in the Middle Stubensandstein formation of what is present-day Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Some researchers consider Halticosaurus the same genus as Liliensternus
Liliensternus
Liliensternus was a genus of coelophysoid dinosaur from the Late Triassic period, about 205 Ma.Liliensternus was originally named in 1934 by Friedrich von Huene as a second species of Halticosaurus, H. liliensterni, the specific name honouring the German amateur paleontologist, Dr...
, but Samuel Welles (1984) found differences in the femoral head and the anterior trochanter
Trochanter
In human anatomy, the trochanter is a part of the thigh bone. It can refer to:* Greater trochanter* Lesser trochanter* Third trochanter-See also:* Intertrochanteric crest* Intertrochanteric line...
.
The type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
, Halticosaurus longotarsus, was based on
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
partial jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
bones and teeth, partial vertebrae, a few arm and leg bones, and fragments of an ilium
Ilium (bone)
The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium.The name comes from the Latin ,...
, and was found mixed in with the remains of a prosauropod dinosaur, Sellosaurus gracilis. A second species assigned to this genus, "Halticosaurus orbitoangulatus", turned out to be a crocodylomorph (Rauhut and Hungerbuhler, 2000). A third species, H. liliensterni, has been reclassified as Liliensternus
Liliensternus
Liliensternus was a genus of coelophysoid dinosaur from the Late Triassic period, about 205 Ma.Liliensternus was originally named in 1934 by Friedrich von Huene as a second species of Halticosaurus, H. liliensterni, the specific name honouring the German amateur paleontologist, Dr...
.