Open Paleo

Gigantosaurus

Seeley, 1869 jih-GAN-toe-SOR-us Nomen dubium

From Ancient Greek gigas (giant) and sauros (lizard); meaning "giant lizard".

154.8–149.2 million years ago Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic
Late Jurassic stages

Gigantosaurus is a dubious genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation of England. The type species, Gigantosaurus megalonyx, was named and described by Harry Govier Seeley in 1869.

Species

Gigantosaurus megalonyx Seeley, 1869 Nomen dubium

Type species

From Greek megas (great) and onyx (claw), referring to the claw-phalange casts in the syntype series.

Syntypes
CAMSM J.29477, CAMSM J.29478, CAMSM J.29479, CAMSM J.29481, CAMSM J.29482, CAMSM J.29483 , Sedgwick Museum, University of Cambridge
Material
Cervical and caudal vertebrae, casts of a claw-phalange and the radius, distal end of a tibia, and an osteoderm.
Horizon
Kimmeridge Clay Formation, Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic , 154.8–149.2 million years ago
Locality
Stretham, Cottenham, Ely, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom Seeley (1869) catalogs the syntypes from three separate Cambridgeshire sites, and Lydekker (1888) places the fibula at Ely.

References

  1. Seeley, H. G. (1869). Index to the fossil remains of Aves, Ornithosauria, and Reptilia, from the Secondary System of Strata, arranged in the Woodwardian Museum of the University of Cambridge. 1-143. Deighton, Bell, and Co..

    Erects Gigantosaurus megalonyx on a syntype series of sauropod bones from the Kimmeridge Clay of the Ely district. No etymology and no diagnosis are given.

    seeley1869b
  2. Lydekker, R. (1888). Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia in the British Museum (Natural History). Part I. British Museum (Natural History), London 1-309.

    Tentatively places Gigantosaurus megalonyx (with a '?') under Ornithopsis humerocristatus (Hulke); writes that there is 'great probability' it is specifically identical with Ornithopsis leedsi.

    lydekker1888a
  3. Huene, F. von (1909). Skizze zu einer Systematik und Stammesgeschichte der Dinosaurier. Centralblatt für Mineralogie, Geologie und Paläontologie 1909: 12-22.

    Lists Gigantosaurus Seeley (non Fraas) as a junior subjective synonym of Pelorosaurus Mantell, within Cetiosauridae. Fraas's African Gigantosaurus is treated as a separate genus under Morosauridae.

    huene1909a