Patricosaurus
Encyclopedia
"Patricosaurus" is the name given to a dubious and chimeric
genus
of reptile
from the Early Cretaceous
. It is based on a femur
and sacrum
from two animals: the femur from a large lepidosaur
, and the sacrum from an archosaur
(Barrett and Evans, 2002). There is no evidence for "it" being a theropod dinosaur
, as it is sometimes classified. "It" lived in what is now England
. The type species
, Patricosaurus merocratus, was described by Harry Seeley
in 1887, and was originally thought to have been a lizard
.
Chimera (paleontology)
In paleontology, a chimera is a fossil which was reconstructed with elements coming from more than a single species of animal. A now classic example of chimera is Protoavis.-List of paleontological chimeras:*Brontosaurus*Lametasaurus...
genus
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 reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
from the Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...
. It is based on a femur
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
and sacrum
Sacrum
In vertebrate anatomy the sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones. Its upper part connects with the last lumbar vertebra, and bottom part with the coccyx...
from two animals: the femur from a large lepidosaur
Lepidosauria
The Lepidosauria are reptiles with overlapping scales. This subclass includes Squamata and Sphenodontidae. It is a monophyletic group and therefore contains all descendents of a common ancestor. The squamata includes snakes, lizards, tuataras, and amphisbaenia. Lepidosauria is the sister taxon...
, and the sacrum from an archosaur
Archosaur
Archosaurs are a group of diapsid amniotes whose living representatives consist of modern birds and crocodilians. This group also includes all extinct non-avian dinosaurs, many extinct crocodilian relatives, and pterosaurs. Archosauria, the archosaur clade, is a crown group that includes the most...
(Barrett and Evans, 2002). There is no evidence for "it" being a 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...
, as it is sometimes classified. "It" lived in what is now England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. 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...
, Patricosaurus merocratus, was described by Harry Seeley
Harry Seeley
Harry Govier Seeley was a British paleontologist.-Career:Seeley was born in London, the son of Richard Hovill Seeley, goldsmith, and his second wife Mary Govier. He attended classes at the Royal School of Mines, Kensington before becoming an assistant to Adam Sedgwick at the Woodwardian Museum,...
in 1887, and was originally thought to have been a lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
.
External links
- http://dml.cmnh.org/2002Sep/msg00576.html and
- http://dml.cmnh.org/2001Jun/msg00958.html Dinosaur Mailing List entries on Patricosaurus