Sanpasaurus
Encyclopedia
Sanpasaurus is the name given to the mixed-up
fossil
s of sauropod and iguanodont
ian dinosaur
s from the Jurassic
of Sichuan
, China
. The type species, S. yaoi, was described by Chung Chien Young
, in 1944, who recognized that the remains arrived to the lab in a jumbled state, so that their association was not definite. The type remains
consisted of 20 vertebrae, scapula
e, forelimbs, and some hindlimb bones. Due to the taxonomic confusion, it is now considered to be a nomen dubium
. However, it could in principle be re-employed if better, comparable remains were found from the same formation, and/or a detailed redescription takes place.
A possible second species (or typographical misinterpretation) assigned to the genus, S. imperfectus, is also considered to be a nomen dubium
.
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...
fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s of sauropod and iguanodont
Iguanodont
Iguanodonts were herbivorous dinosaurs that lived from the mid-Jurassic to Late Cretaceous. Some members include Camptosaurus, Callovosaurus, Iguanodon, Ouranosaurus, and the hadrosaurids or "duck-billed dinosaurs". Iguanodonts were one of the first groups of dinosaurs to be found...
ian 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...
s from the 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...
of Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. The type species, S. yaoi, was described by Chung Chien Young
Yang Zhongjian
Yang Zhongjian , courtesy name Keqiang , also known as C.C. Young, was one of China's foremost paleontologists. He has been called the 'Father of Chinese vertebrate paleontology'...
, in 1944, who recognized that the remains arrived to the lab in a jumbled state, so that their association was not definite. The type remains
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...
consisted of 20 vertebrae, scapula
Scapula
In anatomy, the scapula , omo, or shoulder blade, is the bone that connects the humerus with the clavicle ....
e, forelimbs, and some hindlimb bones. Due to the taxonomic confusion, it is now considered to be a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
. However, it could in principle be re-employed if better, comparable remains were found from the same formation, and/or a detailed redescription takes place.
A possible second species (or typographical misinterpretation) assigned to the genus, S. imperfectus, is also considered to be a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
.