Describer

Fraser, Padian, Walkden & Davis, 2002

Time

Triassic Late

Classification

Saurischia Theropoda

Diet

Carnivore

Fossilsite

Cromhall Quarry of Avon, England

Info

Genus - Typespecies

Holotype VMNH 1745, left ilium discovered in 1990, other referred material from the same site: incomplete left maxilla VMNH 1751; three complete astragali including a left VMNH 1848; right astragalus VMNH 1749; allmost complete right humerus VMNH 1750; and an almost complete specime and some fragments, at least nine more partial or nearly complete right and left ilia, ans an isolated tooth AUP 11095A

Fraser et al provide a small cladogram in which Agnosphitys is more derived than Herrerasaurus and both are outgroups to Dinosauria, it seems that their main take is that Eoraptor and herrerasaurids are not dinosaurs, let alone saurischians.

Two spellings of the new genus are provided in the paper and they are used interchangeably. In the systematic palaeontology section, the new genus is given as Agnosphitys whereas - immediately below - the new species within this genus is given as Agnostiphys [sic] cromhallensis. Nick Fraser (pers. comm.) confirmed that Agnosphitys was the name they intented to use.

According to the authors the genus plainly exhibits five of hteir accepted total of 17 potentional dinosaurian synamorphies - deltopectotal crest extending at least one third down the length of humerus, calcaneum reduced or asent, and, most relavantly, ilium having largely to fully perforate acetaulum, brevis shelf, and reduced atsragalus with ascending process. Only one of these characters - three sacral vertebrae - does not to seem present.

Etymology: Greek an = \\\"not = Greek gnosis = \\\"knowledge\\\" + Greek phylon = \\\"race\\\" (Greek unkown or uncertain, with reference to the position of the form relative to Dinosauria)

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