Pterospondylus
Encyclopedia
Pterospondylus is a dubious
genus
of theropod dinosaur
from the Late Triassic
. It was a coelophysoid theropod which lived in what is now Germany
(Trossingen Formation
). The type species, Pterospondylus trielbae, was described by Jaekel
in 1913-14 for a single back
vertebra. Sometimes, it is aligned with Procompsognathus
, or even considered to be synonymous with it, despite being based on a vertebra that is twice the size of the corresponding bone in Procompsognathus.
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of theropod dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from the Late Triassic
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is in the geologic timescale the third and final of three epochs of the Triassic period. The corresponding series is known as the Upper Triassic. In the past it was sometimes called the Keuper, after a German lithostratigraphic group that has a roughly corresponding age...
. It was a coelophysoid theropod which lived in what is now Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(Trossingen Formation
Trossingen Formation
The Trossingen Formation is a geological formation in Germany. It dates back to the late Norian.-Vertebrate fauna:Pterospondylus trielbae - "Vertebra."...
). The type species, Pterospondylus trielbae, was described by Jaekel
Otto Jaekel
Otto Max Johannes Jaekel was a German paleontologist and geologist.Jaekel was born in Neusalz , Prussian Silesia. He studied geology and paleontology in Liegnitz . After graduating in 1883, he moved to Breslau and studied under Ferdinand Roemer until 1885. Karl von Zittel awarded a PhD to Jaekel...
in 1913-14 for a single back
Dorsum (biology)
In anatomy, the dorsum is the upper side of animals that typically run, fly, or swim in a horizontal position, and the back side of animals that walk upright. In vertebrates the dorsum contains the backbone. The term dorsal refers to anatomical structures that are either situated toward or grow...
vertebra. Sometimes, it is aligned with Procompsognathus
Procompsognathus
Procompsognathus is a genus of small theropod dinosaur that lived during the late Triassic period , about 210 million years ago. Procompsognathus was named by Eberhard Fraas in 1913. He named the type species, P...
, or even considered to be synonymous with it, despite being based on a vertebra that is twice the size of the corresponding bone in Procompsognathus.
External links
- Pterospondylus in The Dinosaur Encyclopaedia at Dino Russ's Lair