Open Paleo

Pantydraco

Galton et al., 2007 pant-ee-DRAY-koh /ˌpæntɪˈdreɪkoʊ/

From the Pant-y-ffynnon quarry in South Wales (Welsh for 'hollow of the spring/well') and Latin draco ('dragon')

205.7–201.4 million years ago Rhaetian, Late Triassic–Early Jurassic
Late Triassic stages

Pantydraco is a genus of basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Late Triassic of the United Kingdom (Wales). It is based on a partial juvenile skeleton once thought to belong to Thecodontosaurus. Only one valid species of Pantydraco is recognized: P. caducus.

Diagnosis

  1. Pseudopleurocoel (pneumatic opening) on neurocentral suture of cervical vertebrae 6-8
  2. Small tubercle medial to head on humerus
  3. Anteroposteriorly low asymmetrical deltopectoral crest with apex at 40% of humeral length

Species

Pantydraco caducus Galton et al., 2007

Type species

caducus is Latin for 'fallen', referring to the assumption that the animal fell into a fissure fill (quarry) and died there

Holotype
NHMUK PV RU P 24 , Natural History Museum
Material
Nearly complete but disarticulated skull, both mandibular rami, complete series of cervical vertebrae, both coracoids, proximal part of both humeri, incomplete right ischium
Horizon
Rhaetian, Late Triassic–Early Jurassic , 205.7–201.4 million years ago
Locality
Pant-y-ffynnon Quarry, Bonvilston, Vale of Glamorgan, United Kingdom Galton and colleagues (2007) give the holotype from "A Rhaetian (Upper Triassic) or Lower Jurassic fissure fill", noting the Welsh fissure may be Early Jurassic rather than Late Triassic.

References

  1. Galton, P. M.; Yates, A. M.; Kermack, D. (2007). Pantydraco n. gen. for Thecodontosaurus caducus Yates, 2003, a basal sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Upper Triassic or Lower Jurassic of South Wales, UK. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Abhandlungen 243(1): 119-125. Schweizerbart. doi:10.1127/0077-7749/2007/0243-0119 galton2007b
  2. Jones, B. (2026). The Princeton Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs: Sauropods. Princeton University Press.

    Source of the hip height estimate, and the appearance features.

    jones2026b
  3. Ballell, A.; Rayfield, E. J.; Benton, M. J. (2020). Osteological redescription of the Late Triassic sauropodomorph dinosaur Thecodontosaurus antiquus based on new material from Tytherington, southwestern England. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 40(2): e1770774. doi:10.1080/02724634.2020.1770774

    Finds poor anatomical support for separating Pantydraco from Thecodontosaurus antiquus and suggests it might be a juvenile of that species, without making a formal synonymy.

    ballell2020a