Saltopus
Encyclopedia
Saltopus is a genus
of very small biped
al dinosauriform, roughly 60 centimeters (23 in) long, not much bigger than a rabbit, that was discovered in Scotland
by Friedrich von Huene
in 1910. It was a late Triassic
carnivore
. Probably the size of a small cat, with hollow bones like those of a bird, it may have weighed in at around two pounds (one kilogram). Based on related forms, it probably had five-fingered hands and a long head with dozens of sharp teeth. To date, Saltopus is known only from very poor material, mostly hind limb fragments.
It has been variously identified as a saurischian (lizard-hipped) dinosaur, a more advanced theropod, and a close relative of the herrerasaurs, but its taxonomy
is in dispute because only fragmentary remains have been recovered. Some researchers, such as Gregory S. Paul
, have suggested it may represent a juvenile specimen of a coelophysid theropod such as Coelophysis
or Procompsognathus
. Rauhut and Hungerbühler suggested it is a primitive dinosauriform, not a true dinosaur, closely related to Lagosuchus
. Benton
and Walker
found it to be a dinosauriform
more derived than Pseudolagosuchus
and basal
to a clade
composed of silesauridae
and dinosauria.
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 very small biped
Biped
Bipedalism is a form of terrestrial locomotion where an organism moves by means of its two rear limbs, or legs. An animal or machine that usually moves in a bipedal manner is known as a biped , meaning "two feet"...
al dinosauriform, roughly 60 centimeters (23 in) long, not much bigger than a rabbit, that was discovered in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
by Friedrich von Huene
Friedrich von Huene
Friedrich von Huene was a German paleontologist who named more dinosaurs in the early 20th century than anyone else in Europe.-Biography:...
in 1910. It was a 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...
carnivore
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
. Probably the size of a small cat, with hollow bones like those of a bird, it may have weighed in at around two pounds (one kilogram). Based on related forms, it probably had five-fingered hands and a long head with dozens of sharp teeth. To date, Saltopus is known only from very poor material, mostly hind limb fragments.
It has been variously identified as a saurischian (lizard-hipped) dinosaur, a more advanced theropod, and a close relative of the herrerasaurs, but its taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
is in dispute because only fragmentary remains have been recovered. Some researchers, such as Gregory S. Paul
Gregory S. Paul
Gregory Scott Paul is a freelance researcher, author and illustrator who works in paleontology, and more recently has examined sociology and theology. He is best known for his work and research on theropod dinosaurs and his detailed illustrations, both live and skeletal...
, have suggested it may represent a juvenile specimen of a coelophysid theropod such as Coelophysis
Coelophysis
Coelophysis , meaning "hollow form" in reference to its hollow bones , is one of the earliest known genera of dinosaur...
or Procompsognathus
Procompsognathus
Procompsognathus is a genus of small theropod dinosaur that lived during the late Triassic period , about 210 million years ago. Procompsognathus was named by Eberhard Fraas in 1913. He named the type species, P...
. Rauhut and Hungerbühler suggested it is a primitive dinosauriform, not a true dinosaur, closely related to Lagosuchus
Lagosuchus
Lagosuchus is a genus of small archosaur from the middle Triassic period. It is generally thought to be closely related to dinosaurs, as a member of the Dinosauromorpha...
. Benton
Michael Benton
Michael J. Benton is a British paleontologist, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and professor of vertebrate palaeontology in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol....
and Walker
Alick Walker
Alick Donald Walker was a British palaeontologist, after whom the Alwalkeria genus of dinosaur is named....
found it to be a dinosauriform
Dinosauriformes
Dinosauriformes is a clade of archosaurian reptiles that include the dinosaurs and their most immediate relatives. All dinosauriformes are distinguished by several features, such as shortened forelimbs, and an at least partially perforated acetabulum, the hole in the hip socket traditionally used...
more derived than Pseudolagosuchus
Pseudolagosuchus
Pseudolagosuchus is a genus of dinosauromorph from the Middle Triassic Chañares Formation of Argentina. It may be a junior synonym of Lewisuchus, but there is very little overlapping material...
and basal
Basal (phylogenetics)
In phylogenetics, a basal clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade; it appears at the base of a cladogram.A basal group forms an outgroup to the rest of the clade, such as in the following example:...
to a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
composed of silesauridae
Silesauridae
Silesauridae is an extinct clade of dinosauriformes, a group of Triassic reptiles that included early ancestors of the dinosaurs. The silesaurids were a sister clade to the dinosaurs. The family was named in 2010 by paleontologist Max C. Langer and colleagues from Brazil and Argentina...
and dinosauria.
