Megalosaurus
Fossil reconstruction of Megalosaurus
- Europe
- Megalosaurus bucklandii
- Megalosaurus hersperis
Megalosaurus ( Romanization of ancient Greek μέγας mégas, large ' and σαῦρος sauros, lizard ') was about a nine-meter long dinosaur from the group of Megalosauridae. He lived in Middle Jurassic million years ago, about 168-166.
- 2.1 Literature
- 2.2 Notes and references
- 2.3 External links
Taxonomy and systematics
Research History and naming
1677 appeared in Robert plots Natural History of Oxfordshire imaging the demonstrated first real bone of a dinosaur had been found in England, and probably comes from a Megalosaurus. It is the lower ( distal ) end of the thigh bone ( femur) with the two joint extensions ( femoral condyles ), the shaft of the bone is missing. The piece was described in 1763 by Joshua Brookes as a human scrotum ( scrotum humanum ).
The scientific description was in 1824 by William Buckland on the basis of a mandible fragment with many large, curved teeth. Despite many finds from England, France and Portugal has been found to date, no complete skeleton of Megalosaurus.
Since the concept of Megalosaurus in many different, large theropods ( " predatory dinosaurs ") was applied, remained some taxonomic errors over 100 years exist.
Also one of the trace fossils of dinosaur footprints of Barkhausen was attributed as ichnotaxon Megalosauripus a Megalosaurus teutonicus. In this and similar footprints but it can also involve traces of other theropods.
The first dinosaur bones found in England
Live reconstruction of Megalosaurus
System
Sciurumimus
Duriavenator
Streptospondylus
Magnosaurus
Dubreuillosaurus
Megalosaurus
Skelettmorphologischen studies by Oliver Rauhut and colleagues from 2012, according to Megalosaurus is one of the representatives of the abgeleitetsten Megalosauroidea. Among the known genera of this group is the sister taxon to Torvosaurus Megalosaurus dar.