Gryponyx
Encyclopedia
Gryponyx is an extinct genus
of massopod sauropodomorph known from southern Free State
, central South Africa
.
SAM 3357-59, a nearly complete postcrania
l skeleton
which includes partial vertebral column
, pelvis
, both forelimb
s and both hindlimbs. Gryponyx has been estimated to have been about 5 m (16.4 ft) in length. It was collected from the Upper Elliot Formation
of the Stormberg Group
(Karoo Basin), dating to the Hettangian
to Sinemurian
stages of the Lower Jurassic period.
It was originally described by Broom (1911) as a theropod. Huene
(1932) named the family Gryponychidae to contain Gryponyx and Aetonyx and placed it within Carnosauria
. Galton
and Cluver synonymized G. africanus with Massospondylus harriesi in 1976, which was in turn synonymized by Michael Cooper in 1981 with Massospondylus carinatus (and today M. harriesi is considered to be a nomen dubium
). However, Vasconcelos and Yates (2004) found Gryponyx to be distinctive enough from other basal sauropodomorphs to be placed in its own genus. They found that it differs from other taxa by the following characteristics: total length of metacarpal I exceeds maximum proximal width and a long, narrow pubic apron with straight lateral margins. Although this publication wasn't formal, they conducted a cladistic analysis using Yates (2004) sauropodomorph matrix and found Gryponyx to be the most basal massospondylid. The same result was found by Lü et al. (2010). Yates et al. (2010) recovered Gryponyx in a trichotomy
with Massospondylidae
and Anchisauria
. However, it should be noted that Gryponyx has yet to be formally redescribed.
Two additional species of Gryponyx have been described: G. transvaalensis was described on the basis of finger bones and the anterior limb metatarsals from the Late Triassic
Bushveld Sandstone Formation
, Transvaal
. G. taylori was described on the basis of sacral
and pelvic
rim from the Upper Elliot Formation, southern Free State. Galton and Cluver (1976) synonymized G. taylori with M. harriesi and considered G. transvaalensis to be a nomen dubium. Both G. taylori and G. transvaalensis were synonymized by Michael Cooper (1981) with M. carinatus and Galton and Upchurch (2004) considered them to be dubious.
in 1911 and the type species
is Gryponyx africanus. The generic name is derived from grypos, Greek
for "hooked" and onyx, Greek for "claw". The specific name refers to Africa
, where the holotype was discovered.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of massopod sauropodomorph known from southern Free State
Free State
The Free State is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bloemfontein, which is also South Africa's judicial capital. Its historical origins lie in the Orange Free State Boer republic and later Orange Free State Province. The current borders of the province date from 1994 when the Bantustans...
, central South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Description
Gryponyx africanus is known from the holotypeHolotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
SAM 3357-59, a nearly complete postcrania
Postcrania
Postcrania[p] in zoology and vertebrate paleontology refers to all or part of the skeleton apart from the skull. Frequently, fossil remains, e.g...
l skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
which includes partial vertebral column
Vertebral column
In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...
, pelvis
Pelvis
In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...
, both forelimb
Forelimb
A forelimb is an anterior limb on an animal's body. When referring to quadrupeds , the term foreleg is often instead used....
s and both hindlimbs. Gryponyx has been estimated to have been about 5 m (16.4 ft) in length. It was collected from the Upper Elliot Formation
Upper Elliot Formation
The Upper Elliot Formation is a geological formation dating to roughly between 200 to 190 million years ago and covering the Hettangian to Sinemurian stages. The Upper Elliot Formation is found in South Africa and Lesotho and is a member of the Stormberg Group. It consists mainly of limestone,...
of the Stormberg Group
Stormberg Group
The Stormberg Group is the name given to the sedimentary geological formations found in Karoo Basin region of Southern Africa, immediately above the Beaufort Group...
(Karoo Basin), dating to the Hettangian
Hettangian
The Hettangian is the earliest age or lowest stage of the Jurassic period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 199.6 ± 0.6 Ma and 196.5 ± 1 Ma . The Hettangian follows the Rhaetian and is followed by the Sinemurian.In Europe stratigraphy the Hettangian is a part of the time span in...
to Sinemurian
Sinemurian
In the geologic timescale, the Sinemurian is an age or stage in the Early or Lower Jurassic epoch or series. It spans the time between 196.5 ± 2 Ma and 189.6 ± 1.5 Ma...
stages of the Lower Jurassic period.
It was originally described by Broom (1911) as a theropod. Huene
Friedrich von Huene
Friedrich von Huene was a German paleontologist who named more dinosaurs in the early 20th century than anyone else in Europe.-Biography:...
(1932) named the family Gryponychidae to contain Gryponyx and Aetonyx and placed it within Carnosauria
Carnosauria
Carnosauria is a group of large predatory dinosaurs that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. While it originally contained a wide assortment of giant theropods that were not closely related, the group has since been defined to encompass only the allosaurs and their closest kin...
. Galton
Peter Galton
Peter M. Galton is a British vertebrate paleontologist working in America, who has to date written or co-written about a hundred papers in scientific journals or chapters in paleontology textbooks, especially on ornithischian and prosauropod dinosaurs.With Robert Bakker in a joint article...
and Cluver synonymized G. africanus with Massospondylus harriesi in 1976, which was in turn synonymized by Michael Cooper in 1981 with Massospondylus carinatus (and today M. harriesi is considered to be a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
). However, Vasconcelos and Yates (2004) found Gryponyx to be distinctive enough from other basal sauropodomorphs to be placed in its own genus. They found that it differs from other taxa by the following characteristics: total length of metacarpal I exceeds maximum proximal width and a long, narrow pubic apron with straight lateral margins. Although this publication wasn't formal, they conducted a cladistic analysis using Yates (2004) sauropodomorph matrix and found Gryponyx to be the most basal massospondylid. The same result was found by Lü et al. (2010). Yates et al. (2010) recovered Gryponyx in a trichotomy
Trichotomy
In mathematics, the Law of Trichotomy states that every real number is either positive, negative, or zero. More generally, trichotomy is the property of an order relation...
with Massospondylidae
Massospondylidae
Massospondylidae is a family of massopod sauropodomorphs. Massospondylids are early sauropodomorph dinosaurs which existed in Asia, Africa and South America during the Late Triassic to the Early Jurassic periods...
and Anchisauria
Anchisauria
The Anchisauria were a clade of sauropodomorph dinosaurs which lived during the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic. The name Anchisauria was first used by Galton and Upchurch in the second edition of The Dinosauria...
. However, it should be noted that Gryponyx has yet to be formally redescribed.
Two additional species of Gryponyx have been described: G. transvaalensis was described on the basis of finger bones and the anterior limb metatarsals from the Late Triassic
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is in the geologic timescale the third and final of three epochs of the Triassic period. The corresponding series is known as the Upper Triassic. In the past it was sometimes called the Keuper, after a German lithostratigraphic group that has a roughly corresponding age...
Bushveld Sandstone Formation
Bushveld Sandstone Formation
The Bushveld Sandstone Formation is a geological formation dating to roughly between 228 to 223 million years ago and covering the Carnian to Norian stages. The Bushveld Sandstone Formation is found in South Africa and is a member of the Stormberg Group. As its name suggests, it consists mainly of...
, Transvaal
Transvaal
The Transvaal is the name of an area of northern South Africa. The land originally comprised most of the independent Boer South African Republic, which had existed since 1856, despite two previous attempts by the British of varying success to establish supremacy...
. G. taylori was described on the basis of sacral
Sacrum
In vertebrate anatomy the sacrum is a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, where it is inserted like a wedge between the two hip bones. Its upper part connects with the last lumbar vertebra, and bottom part with the coccyx...
and pelvic
Pelvis
In human anatomy, the pelvis is the lower part of the trunk, between the abdomen and the lower limbs .The pelvis includes several structures:...
rim from the Upper Elliot Formation, southern Free State. Galton and Cluver (1976) synonymized G. taylori with M. harriesi and considered G. transvaalensis to be a nomen dubium. Both G. taylori and G. transvaalensis were synonymized by Michael Cooper (1981) with M. carinatus and Galton and Upchurch (2004) considered them to be dubious.
Etymology
Gryponyx was first named by Robert BroomRobert Broom
Professor Robert Broom was a Scottish South African doctor and paleontologist. He qualified as a medical practitioner in 1895 and received his DSc in 1905 from the University of Glasgow...
in 1911 and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is Gryponyx africanus. The generic name is derived from grypos, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
for "hooked" and onyx, Greek for "claw". The specific name refers to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, where the holotype was discovered.