Gigantoscelus

Van Hoepen, 1916 jy-GAN-to-SEE-lus Nomen dubium

giant shin

199.5–174.7 million years ago Sinemurian–Toarcian, Early Jurassic

Early Jurassic stages

Gigantoscelus is a dubious genus of basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of South Africa.

Under dispute

Gigantoscelus molengraaffi is a nomen dubium based on a fragmentary femur from southern Africa (Galton and Upchurch, 2004).

Species

Gigantoscelus molengraaffi Van Hoepen, 1916 Nomen dubium

Type species

Honors Prof. Gustaaf Molengraaff, Dutch geologist, whose investigations of the Transvaal Karroo beds led to important stratigraphic results, per van Hoepen (1916).

Holotype: TM 65 , Ditsong National Museum of Natural History
Material: Distal end of a right femur.
Horizon: Clarens Formation, Sinemurian–Toarcian, Early Jurassic , 199.5–174.7 million years ago
Locality: Haakdoornbult 344, Limpopo, South Africa

References

Van Hoepen, E. C. N. (1916). De ouderdom der Transvaalsche Karroolagen [The age of the Transvaal Karoo beds]. Verhandelingen van het Geologisch-Mijnbouwkundig Genootschap voor Nederland en Koloniën. Geologische Serie 3: 107-117. vanhoepen1916a
Galton, P. M.; Upchurch, P. (2004). Prosauropoda. The Dinosauria, Second Edition (Weishampel, D. B.; Dodson, P.; Osmólska, H., eds.) 232-258. University of California Press, Berkeley.
Treated Gigantoscelus as a nomen dubium.
galton2004a
Van Heerden, J. (1979). The morphology and taxonomy of Euskelosaurus (Reptilia: Saurischia; Late Triassic) from South Africa. Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum 4: 21-84.
Finds no diagnostic features in the type and refers it to Euskelosaurus as an indeterminate species.
vanheerden1979a