Open Paleo

Lamplughsaura

Kutty et al., 2007 LAHM-plu-SOR-uh

Named in honor of Pamela Lamplugh Robinson, a British paleontologist, combined with Greek 'saura' (lizard); meaning 'Lamplugh's lizard'

201.4–192.9 million years ago Hettangian–Sinemurian, Early Jurassic
Early Jurassic stages

Lamplughsaura is an extinct genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Sinemurian-aged (Early Jurassic) Dharmaram Formation of India. The genus contains a single species, Lamplughsaura dharmaramensis, known from several partial skeletons of a large quadrupedal animal up to 10 meters (33 ft) long. It has been classified as either a basal sauropod or more basal sauropodomorph.

Under dispute

Lamplughsaura is of uncertain affinity. Its describers recovered it as a basal sauropod between Blikanasaurus and Kotasaurus on one matrix and as a non-sauropodan sauropodomorph on another, and favored the sauropod position (Kutty and colleagues, 2007).

Diagnosis

  1. Teeth with coarse denticles few or absent on mesial edge, distal edge with distinct concavity in side view
  2. Caudal cervical neural spines bearing vertically oriented ligamentous furrow on cranial and caudal surfaces and transversely expanded spine table
  3. Caudal neural spines bearing craniodorsally directed spur in proximal caudal vertebrae or distinct process in midcaudal vertebrae
  4. Caudal neural spines shorter than transverse processes, former disappear first passing along tail
  5. Descending caudal flange of distal tibia covers 66% of transverse width of astragalus

Species

Lamplughsaura dharmaramensis Kutty et al., 2007

Type species

Named for the Dharmaram Formation of the Pranhita-Godavari Basin in India, from which the holotype and referred specimens were recovered.

Holotype
ISIR 257 , Geology Museum, Indian Statistical Institute
Material
Almost complete neck, 8 dorsal neural arches and 4 centra, sacral neural arch, 11 caudal vertebrae, 4 dorsal ribs, 5 chevrons, scapulae, sternal plate, humeri, ulna, metacarpals, ischia, femur, fibulae, tibia, astragalus, calcaneum, metatarsal III
Horizon
upper Dharmaram Formation, Hettangian–Sinemurian, Early Jurassic , 201.4–192.9 million years ago
Locality
North of Krishnapur village, Telangana, India

References

  1. Kutty, T. S.; Chatterjee, S.; Galton, P. M.; Upchurch, P. (2007). Basal sauropodomorphs (Dinosauria: Saurischia) from the Lower Jurassic of India: their anatomy and relationships. Journal of Paleontology 81(6): 1218-1240. Cambridge University Press (CUP). doi:10.1666/04-074.1 kutty2007a
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the mass and hip height estimates.

    jones2026b