[D] Camposaurus arizonensis [dG] [T]
Describer
Hunt, Lucas, Heckert, Sullivan, & Lockley, 1998
Time
Triassic Late Carnian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Coelophysoidea indet.
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Chinle Formation, Placerias/Downs Quarry, Mesa Redondo Member, Arizona, US
Info
Genus - Typespecies
Holotype
UCMP 34498, fused tibiae, fibulae and astragalocalcanea of the right and left sides.
Referred material
Hunt et al. (1998) referred additional material (e.g. MNA V3091) to this taxon.
Taxonomic placement by Nesbitt, S.J., Irmis, R.B. and Parker, W.G. (2007): Coelophysoidea indet.
Remarks by Nesbitt, S.J., Irmis, R.B. and Parker, W.G. (2007): Long & Murry (1995) referred several isolated elements from the Placerias Quarry to Ceratosauria indet. Hunt et al. (1998) considered all of this material to represent a single theropod taxon, perhaps even a single individual. They concluded that this taxon was distinct from other Triassic theropods and designated matching right and left fused distal tibiae, fibulae and astragalocalcanea as the holotype of a new taxon, ‘Camposaurus arizonensis,’ with the other Placerias Quarry ‘theropod’ material as paratypes. All the material was disarticulated and disassociated in the quarry.
Hunt et al. (1998) named matching right and left distal fused tibiae, fibulae, and astragalocalcanea (UCMP 34498) the holotype of a new taxon of coelophysoid theropod, Camposaurus arizonensis. The differential diagnosis provided by Hunt et al. (1998: pg. 530) cannot be substantiated; direct comparison of Camposaurus with casts of corresponding elements of Coelophysis bauri from the Ghost Ranch Coelophysis Quarry shows that they are identical. At present, there are no diagnosable characters preserved on the holotype of Camposaurus or synapomorphies that allow referral to Coelophysis, so it must be regarded as a nomen dubium. The overall morphology of the distal tibia and astragalus, as well as the fused astragalocalcaneum that is fused to the tibia supports referral of the material to Coelophysoidea indet. (Tykoski and Rowe, 2004).
Hunt, Lucas, Heckert, Sullivan, & Lockley, 1998
Time
Triassic Late Carnian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Coelophysoidea indet.
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Chinle Formation, Placerias/Downs Quarry, Mesa Redondo Member, Arizona, US
Info
Genus - Typespecies
Holotype
UCMP 34498, fused tibiae, fibulae and astragalocalcanea of the right and left sides.
Referred material
Hunt et al. (1998) referred additional material (e.g. MNA V3091) to this taxon.
Taxonomic placement by Nesbitt, S.J., Irmis, R.B. and Parker, W.G. (2007): Coelophysoidea indet.
Remarks by Nesbitt, S.J., Irmis, R.B. and Parker, W.G. (2007): Long & Murry (1995) referred several isolated elements from the Placerias Quarry to Ceratosauria indet. Hunt et al. (1998) considered all of this material to represent a single theropod taxon, perhaps even a single individual. They concluded that this taxon was distinct from other Triassic theropods and designated matching right and left fused distal tibiae, fibulae and astragalocalcanea as the holotype of a new taxon, ‘Camposaurus arizonensis,’ with the other Placerias Quarry ‘theropod’ material as paratypes. All the material was disarticulated and disassociated in the quarry.
Hunt et al. (1998) named matching right and left distal fused tibiae, fibulae, and astragalocalcanea (UCMP 34498) the holotype of a new taxon of coelophysoid theropod, Camposaurus arizonensis. The differential diagnosis provided by Hunt et al. (1998: pg. 530) cannot be substantiated; direct comparison of Camposaurus with casts of corresponding elements of Coelophysis bauri from the Ghost Ranch Coelophysis Quarry shows that they are identical. At present, there are no diagnosable characters preserved on the holotype of Camposaurus or synapomorphies that allow referral to Coelophysis, so it must be regarded as a nomen dubium. The overall morphology of the distal tibia and astragalus, as well as the fused astragalocalcaneum that is fused to the tibia supports referral of the material to Coelophysoidea indet. (Tykoski and Rowe, 2004).