[D] Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis [Su] [T]
Describer
Raath, 1969
Time
Jurassic Early Hettangian Sinemurian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Ceratosauria Podokesauridae
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Forest Sandstone, Matabebeland North, Zimbabwe; Upper Elliot Formation Cape Province, South Africa
Fall Under
Megapnosaurus
Length
3 meter
Info
Typespecies - Skull
Megapnosaurus (Ivie, Slipinski, and Wegrzynowicz, 2001) > Syntarsus (Raath, 1969) > Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis (Raath, 1969) >> Syntarsus rhodesiensis (Raath, 1969) Megapnosaurus kayentakatae (Rowe, 1989) > Syntarsus kayentakatae (Rowe, 1989)
Megapnosaurus > cf. Megapnosaurus sp. (Irmis, 2004)
Megapnosaurus was very similar to Coelophysis. In fact some consider it simply another species of Coelophysis.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek megas (big) apnoos (dead) and sauros (lizard).
At least 30 individuals juvenile to adult, partially articulated skeletons. Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis may be diagnosed by elongation of its antorbital fenestra to 40 percent of the skull length and by a ventral extension of the lacrimal that overlaps the jugal and reaches the elveolar margin in a condition unlike any other archosaur (Raath, 1977).
It is significant that these characters were described from disaticulated material, because the length of the antorbital fenestra is dependent on the position of the lacrimal being correctly interpreted, This interpretation also places the maxillary tooth row entirely in front of the orbit, in contrast to other ceratosaurs.
Raath, 1969
Time
Jurassic Early Hettangian Sinemurian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Ceratosauria Podokesauridae
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Forest Sandstone, Matabebeland North, Zimbabwe; Upper Elliot Formation Cape Province, South Africa
Fall Under
Megapnosaurus
Length
3 meter
Info
Typespecies - Skull
Megapnosaurus (Ivie, Slipinski, and Wegrzynowicz, 2001) > Syntarsus (Raath, 1969) > Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis (Raath, 1969) >> Syntarsus rhodesiensis (Raath, 1969) Megapnosaurus kayentakatae (Rowe, 1989) > Syntarsus kayentakatae (Rowe, 1989)
Megapnosaurus > cf. Megapnosaurus sp. (Irmis, 2004)
Megapnosaurus was very similar to Coelophysis. In fact some consider it simply another species of Coelophysis.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek megas (big) apnoos (dead) and sauros (lizard).
At least 30 individuals juvenile to adult, partially articulated skeletons. Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis may be diagnosed by elongation of its antorbital fenestra to 40 percent of the skull length and by a ventral extension of the lacrimal that overlaps the jugal and reaches the elveolar margin in a condition unlike any other archosaur (Raath, 1977).
It is significant that these characters were described from disaticulated material, because the length of the antorbital fenestra is dependent on the position of the lacrimal being correctly interpreted, This interpretation also places the maxillary tooth row entirely in front of the orbit, in contrast to other ceratosaurs.