Protognathosaurus
Encyclopedia
Protognathosaurus is a genus
of dinosaur
from the Middle Jurassic
. It was a sauropod found in what is present-day China
. The type species
, P. oxyodon, was originally described by Zhang (1988) (as Protognathus, which was already in use for a genus of beetle), and was renamed by George Olshevsky
in 1991. Protognathosaurus is known only from a fragmentary jaw.
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 the Middle Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
. It was a sauropod found in what is present-day China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. 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...
, P. oxyodon, was originally described by Zhang (1988) (as Protognathus, which was already in use for a genus of beetle), and was renamed by George Olshevsky
George Olshevsky
George Olshevsky is a freelance editor, writer, publisher, amateur paleontologist, and mathematician living in San Diego, California.Olshevsky maintains the comprehensive online Dinosaur Genera List...
in 1991. Protognathosaurus is known only from a fragmentary jaw.