Asiatosaurus

Osborn, 1924 AY-see-AT-o-SOR-us Nomen dubium

From Greek Asia and sauros (lizard); meaning "Asian lizard", with the genus name explicitly derived in the original description.

121.4–100.5 million years ago Aptian–Albian, Early Cretaceous

Early Cretaceous stages

Asiatosaurus is a dubious sauropod tooth-taxon erected by Osborn (1924) on isolated camarasaur-like teeth from the Öösh Formation of Mongolia. The type species A. mongoliensis is based on a single posterior dentary tooth (AMNH 6264) from the Oshih basin; Osborn noted that the holotype and paratype might not belong to the same individual or even the same species. A second nominal species (A. kwangshiensis) was named on a tooth from China and is also generally treated as a nomen dubium. Asiatosaurus has been variably placed in Camarasauridae, Brachiosauridae, and Euhelopodidae over the decades, but the fragmentary nature of the type material precludes confident placement.

Species

Asiatosaurus mongoliensis Osborn, 1924 Nomen dubium

Type species

From mongoliensis ("of Mongolia"), referring to the country of origin of the holotype.

Holotype: AMNH 6264 , American Museum of Natural History
Material: Single posterior dentary tooth with a subspatulate crown bearing two lateral external grooves and one median internal groove.
Horizon: Öösh Formation, Aptian–Albian, Early Cretaceous , 121.4–100.5 million years ago
Locality: Red Mesa, Övörkhangai, Mongolia

References

Osborn, H. F. (1924). Sauropoda and Theropoda of the Lower Cretaceous of Mongolia. American Museum Novitates 128: 1-16.
Erects Asiatosaurus mongoliensis on AMNH 6264, an isolated posterior dentary tooth from the Öösh Formation of Mongolia; same paper also names Prodeinodon mongoliensis.
osborn1924a