Open Paleo

Galleonosaurus

Herne et al., 2019 GAL-ee-on-o-SAWR-us

Galleon lizard; named for the resemblance of the upper jaw bone to an upturned galleon, combined with Greek sauros (lizard)

125.8–121.4 million years ago Barremian, Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous stages

Galleonosaurus is a genus of basal ornithopod dinosaur from the Wonthaggi Formation of the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The type and only species is Galleonosaurus dorisae.

Diagnosis

  1. Ascending ramus of maxilla has two slot-like foramina on the anterior margin that communicate with the neurovascular tract
  2. Neurovascular tract bifurcates internally to exit at two anteroventral maxillary foramina
  3. Lingual margin of maxillary tooth roots in midregion of tooth row form an S-bend at their bases
  4. Posterior third of maxilla on some specimens deflects posterolaterally at an abrupt kink
  5. Lateral end of palatine lateral ramus forms a hatchet-shaped flange

Species

Galleonosaurus dorisae Herne et al., 2019

Type species

Named for Doris Seegets-Villiers, in recognition of geological, palynological, and taphonomic work on the Flat Rocks fossil vertebrate locality in Victoria, Australia.

Holotype
NMV P229196 , Museums Victoria
Material
Complete left maxilla with partial dentition
Horizon
Wonthaggi Formation, Barremian, Early Cretaceous , 125.8–121.4 million years ago
Locality
Flat Rocks, Victoria, Australia

References

  1. Herne, M. C.; Nair, J. P.; Evans, A. R.; Tait, A. M. (2019). New small-bodied ornithopods (Dinosauria, Neornithischia) from the Early Cretaceous Wonthaggi Formation (Strzelecki Group) of the Australian-Antarctic rift system, with revision of Qantassaurus intrepidus Rich and Vickers-Rich, 1999. Journal of Paleontology 93(3): 543-584. Cambridge University Press (CUP). doi:10.1017/jpa.2018.95 herne2019a