Othnielia

Othnielia rex skeleton reconstruction

• Colorado, USA ( Morrison Formation )

• Othnielia rex ( Marsh, 1877)

Othnielia is a genus of bird pelvic dinosaur ( Ornithischia ) whose validity is disputed. This genus is based on a femur with a few more, postcranial remains ( holotype, specimen number YPM 1875), which dates from the late Upper Jurassic of North America.

Previously this genus other findings, including two fragmentary skeletons and skull material attributed. A revision of the genus by Peter Galton (2007) showed, however, that the holotype material shows no diagnostic features, but that would be needed to distinguish the species. Consequently, an assignment further finds no basis to Othnielia. Galton therefore constituted a new genus for the other, once Othnielia ascribed finds on, Othnielosaurus, and considers the genus Othnielia as a noun dubium ( dubious name).

Research History and naming

The holotype material discovered BF Mudge of the layers of the Morrison Formation near Garden Park in Cañon City in the U.S. state of Colorado. In 1877 the discovery of Othniel Charles Marsh as a new species of the genus Nanosaurus ( Nanosaurus rex ) was first described scientifically. Marsh described the animal as " small, fox big dinosaur ". Galton and Jensen ( 1973) recognized similarities with the genus Hypsilophodon and wrote Nanosaurus the Hypsilophodontidae to a family that is now considered paraphyletic and is therefore no longer used.

Galton (1977 ) recognized important differences between Nanosaurus rex and the type species of Nanosaurus, and put Nanosaurus rex therefore in its own genus, which he called Othnielia ( Othnielia rex ). The name honors the significant Othnielia paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh.