Zanclodon
Encyclopedia
Zanclodon is an extinct genus
of archosaurian reptile endemic to what would have been Europe
during the Middle Triassic
-Late Triassic
epochs (245—199.6 mya).
Zanclodon ('scythe tooth') is the name formally used for fossil material that actually belongs to at least two genera
of dinosaur
from the Late Triassic
. Parrish (1993), Nesbitt (2005) and Nesbitt and Norell (2006) do not believe that Zanclodon is a dinosaur and place it in the clade
Suchia
, incertae sedis
. It was formerly placed in the Teratosauridae, within the Theropoda
. The type species
, Zanclodon laevis, is based on a left maxilla
that represents an indeterminate archosaurian. Therefore, the genus is not unambiguously identifiable.
, but this name had previously been used for the saber-toothed cat
(a preoccupied name), so it was renamed. It was synonymized subjectively with Plateosaurus
by Marsh (1895) and Marsh (1896); it was synonymized subjectively with Teratosaurus
by Romer (1956); it was considered a nomen dubium
by Steel (1970); it was considered a nomen vanum by Welles (1984); it was considered a nomen dubium by Naish and Martill (2007). It was assigned to Lacertilia by Quenstedt (1867); to Megalosauridae by Lydekker (1888); to Plateosauridae
by von Zittel (1911); to Zanclodontidae by Sauvage (1882), Marsh (1882), Marsh (1884), Marsh (1884), Marsh (1885), Fraas (1900), Huene (1908), Huene (1909) and Huene (1914); to Carnosauria by Huene (1923); and to Archosauria by Galton (2001).
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 archosaurian reptile endemic to what would have been Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
during the Middle Triassic
Middle Triassic
In the geologic timescale, the Middle Triassic is the second of three epochs of the Triassic period or the middle of three series in which the Triassic system is divided. It spans the time between 245 ± 1.5 Ma and 228 ± 2 Ma...
-Late Triassic
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is in the geologic timescale the third and final of three epochs of the Triassic period. The corresponding series is known as the Upper Triassic. In the past it was sometimes called the Keuper, after a German lithostratigraphic group that has a roughly corresponding age...
epochs (245—199.6 mya).
Zanclodon ('scythe tooth') is the name formally used for fossil material that actually belongs to at least two genera
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 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...
. Parrish (1993), Nesbitt (2005) and Nesbitt and Norell (2006) do not believe that Zanclodon is a dinosaur and place it in the 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...
Suchia
Suchia
Suchia is a clade of archosaurs that includes all pseudosuchians except ornithosuchids. It includes crocodilians and their extinct relatives. Paul Sereno defined Suchia as the least inclusive clade containing Aetosaurus ferratus, Rauisuchus tiradentes, Prestosuchus chiniquensis, Gracilisuchus...
, incertae sedis
Incertae sedis
, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
. It was formerly placed in the Teratosauridae, within the Theropoda
Theropoda
Theropoda is both a suborder of bipedal saurischian dinosaurs, and a clade consisting of that suborder and its descendants . Dinosaurs belonging to the suborder theropoda were primarily carnivorous, although a number of theropod groups evolved herbivory, omnivory, and insectivory...
. 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...
, Zanclodon laevis, is based on a left maxilla
Maxilla
The maxilla is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper jaw. This is similar to the mandible , which is also a fusion of two halves at the mental symphysis. Sometimes The maxilla (plural: maxillae) is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper...
that represents an indeterminate archosaurian. Therefore, the genus is not unambiguously identifiable.
Taxonomy
Zanclodon was named by Plieninger (1846). It was originally named SmilodonSmilodon
Smilodon , often called a saber-toothed cat or saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This saber-toothed cat was endemic to North America and South America, living from near the beginning through the very end of the Pleistocene epoch .-Etymology:The nickname "saber-tooth" refers...
, but this name had previously been used for the saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat or Sabre-toothed cat refers to the extinct subfamilies of Machairodontinae , Barbourofelidae , and Nimravidae as well as two families related to marsupials that were found worldwide from the Eocene Epoch to the end of the Pleistocene Epoch ,...
(a preoccupied name), so it was renamed. It was synonymized subjectively with Plateosaurus
Plateosaurus
Plateosaurus is a genus of plateosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 216 to 199 million years ago, in what is now Central and Northern Europe. Plateosaurus is a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur, a so-called "prosauropod"...
by Marsh (1895) and Marsh (1896); it was synonymized subjectively with Teratosaurus
Teratosaurus
Teratosaurus was a genus of rauisuchian known from the Triassic Stubensandstein of Germany...
by Romer (1956); it was considered a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
by Steel (1970); it was considered a nomen vanum by Welles (1984); it was considered a nomen dubium by Naish and Martill (2007). It was assigned to Lacertilia by Quenstedt (1867); to Megalosauridae by Lydekker (1888); to Plateosauridae
Plateosauridae
Plateosauridae is a family of plateosaurian sauropodomorphs. Plateosaurids were early sauropodomorph dinosaurs which existed in Asia, Europe and South America during the Late Triassic period. Although several dinosaurs have been classified as plateosaurids over the years, a 2007 study by Adam M....
by von Zittel (1911); to Zanclodontidae by Sauvage (1882), Marsh (1882), Marsh (1884), Marsh (1884), Marsh (1885), Fraas (1900), Huene (1908), Huene (1909) and Huene (1914); to Carnosauria by Huene (1923); and to Archosauria by Galton (2001).
Species
- Z. laevis (Plieninger 1846) [originally "Smilodon"] (type)
- Z. crenatus (Plieninger 1846) [originally "Smilodon"]
- Z. bavaricus (Fraas 1894 vide Sandberger 1894)=SauropodomorphaSauropodomorphaSauropodomorpha is an extinct clade of long-necked, herbivorous, saurischian dinosaurs which includes the sauropods and their ancestral relatives. Sauropods generally grew to very large sizes, had long necks and tails, were quadrupedal, and became the largest animals to ever walk the Earth. The...
incertae sedisIncertae sedis, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any... - Z. plieningeri (Fraas 1896)=junior synonym of Z. laevis
- Z. arenaceus (Fraas 1896)
- Z. cambrensis (Newton 1899)=MegalosaurusMegalosaurusMegalosaurus is a genus of large meat-eating theropod dinosaurs of the Middle Jurassic period of Europe...
cambrensis (Galton 1998 & Storrs 1998)="NewtonsaurusNewtonsaurus"Newtonsaurus" is the informal name given to an as yet undescribed genus of dinosaur from the Late Triassic. It was probably a ceratosaur, which lived in what is now the United Kingdom. The type species is "N...
" (Welles & Pickering 1993) – nomen nudum, known from teeth in South Wales - Z. quenstedti (Koken 1900)=PlateosaurusPlateosaurusPlateosaurus is a genus of plateosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 216 to 199 million years ago, in what is now Central and Northern Europe. Plateosaurus is a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur, a so-called "prosauropod"...
engelhardti - Z. schutzii (Fraas 1900)=PlateosaurusPlateosaurusPlateosaurus is a genus of plateosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 216 to 199 million years ago, in what is now Central and Northern Europe. Plateosaurus is a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur, a so-called "prosauropod"...
? - Z. subcylindrodon (Huene 1905)
- Z. silesiacus (JaekelOtto JaekelOtto Max Johannes Jaekel was a German paleontologist and geologist.Jaekel was born in Neusalz , Prussian Silesia. He studied geology and paleontology in Liegnitz . After graduating in 1883, he moved to Breslau and studied under Ferdinand Roemer until 1885. Karl von Zittel awarded a PhD to Jaekel...
1910)=PlateosaurusPlateosaurusPlateosaurus is a genus of plateosaurid dinosaur that lived during the Late Triassic period, around 216 to 199 million years ago, in what is now Central and Northern Europe. Plateosaurus is a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur, a so-called "prosauropod"...