Open Paleo

Magnosaurus

Huene, 1932 MAG-no-SAWR-us

From Latin 'magnus' (large) and Greek 'sauros' (lizard); meaning 'large lizard'

170.9–168.2 million years ago Bajocian, Middle Jurassic
Middle Jurassic stages

Magnosaurus was a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of England. It is based on fragmentary remains and has often been confused with or included in Megalosaurus.

Diagnosis

  1. Sole potential autapomorphy: anteroposteriorly elongate foramina on the ventral part of the lateral surface of the dentary, inclined anterodorsally and continuing anterodorsally as long grooves
  2. Dorsoventrally low dentary with a dorsoventrally expanded anterior end
  3. Expanded, subcircular third dentary alveolus
  4. Well-defined groove housing the lateral nutrient foramina of the dentary (a megalosaurid synapomorphy)
  5. Tibia with a relatively weak medial malleolus that does not form a prominent shoulder in anterior view

Species

Magnosaurus nethercombensis (Huene, 1923)

Type species

First named as Megalosaurus nethercombensis

Named for Nethercomb, the village near Sherborne in Dorset, England, where the holotype partial skeleton was found.

Holotype
OUMNH PAL-J.012143 , Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Material
Fragmentary skeleton: both dentaries, a dorsal and a caudal vertebra, rib impressions, the ischial peduncle of the right ilium, both (partial) pubes, both femora, and both tibiae.
Horizon
Inferior Oolite Group, Bajocian, Middle Jurassic , 170.9–168.2 million years ago
Locality
Nethercombe, Dorset, United Kingdom Benson (2010) gives the horizon as the Stephanoceras humphriesianum ammonite Zone and Subzone of the Inferior Oolite, early Bajocian.

References

  1. Huene, F. V. (1923). Carnivorous Saurischia in Europe since the Triassic. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America 34: 449-458. doi:10.1130/gsab-34-449

    Names the species, as "Megalosaurus" nethercombensis n. sp., with a short description of the pubis and teeth, the genus in quotation marks.

    huene1923a
  2. Huene, F. V. (1926). The carnivorous Saurischia in the Jura and Cretaceous formations, principally in Europe. Revista del Museo de La Plata 29: 35-167.

    Describes the type material, as Megalosaurus nethercombensis.

    huene1926b
  3. Huene, F. V. (1932). Die fossile Reptil-Ordnung Saurischia, ihre Entwicklung und Geschichte [The fossil reptile order Saurischia, their development and history]. Monographien zur Geologie und Palaeontologie, serie 1 4(1-2): 1-361.

    Erects the genus Magnosaurus for Megalosaurus nethercombensis.

    huene1932a
  4. Benson, R. B. J. (2010). The osteology of Magnosaurus nethercombensis (Dinosauria, Theropoda) from the Bajocian (Middle Jurassic) of the United Kingdom and a re-examination of the oldest records of tetanurans. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 8(1): 131-146. doi:10.1080/14772011003603515

    Modern redescription and diagnosis of Magnosaurus nethercombensis.

    benson2010b