[D] Halticosaurus longotarsus [dG]
Describer
Huene, 1908
Time
Triassic Late Norian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Tetanurae Coelurosauria Nomina Dubia
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Mittlerer Stubensandstein, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Info
Genus
Holotype
SMNS 12353, mandibular fragment, vertebrae, humerus, ilium, femur, metatarsal. The material is very poorly preserved and could be from a small theropod or a small prosauropod (especially if the ilium has been correctly restored).
In the form of the femur, the presence of only two fused sacrals, and the absence of pleurocoels on the cervicals (perhaps the structure of the ilium as well), this species shows affinities with prosauropods . The one unusual feature is the exceptional length and slender ness of the metatarsal associated with the other remains, and in this, it does resemble a theropod.
Rauhut and Hungerbühler, 2000 in their review of the Triassic theropods of Europe reassessed Halticosaurus longotarsus, acoording to the authors only the femoral remains included in this specimen can be referred with reliability to Halticosaurus longotarsus.