Ngexisaurus
Encyclopedia
"Ngexisaurus" is the informal name given to an as yet undescribed
genus
of dinosaur
from the Middle Jurassic
. It was a coelurosaur which lived in what is now China
. The type species
, "Ngexisaurus dapukaensis", was coined by Zhao in 1983. Although it would be of great interest to dinosaur paleontologists because its assignment as a coelurosaur implies it was a small theropod, which are poorly known throughout the Mesozoic
(and especially in the Middle Jurassic, when several lineages of coelurosaurs are believed to have been acquiring their special characteristics), it has not been redescribed or even mentioned in anything more detailed than a faunal list since its initial citation.
Nomen nudum
The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...
genus
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 dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from the Middle Jurassic
Middle Jurassic
The Middle Jurassic is the second epoch of the Jurassic Period. It lasted from 176-161 million years ago. In European lithostratigraphy, rocks of this Middle Jurassic age are called the Dogger....
. It was a coelurosaur which lived in what is now China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. 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...
, "Ngexisaurus dapukaensis", was coined by Zhao in 1983. Although it would be of great interest to dinosaur paleontologists because its assignment as a coelurosaur implies it was a small theropod, which are poorly known throughout the Mesozoic
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic era is an interval of geological time from about 250 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. It is often referred to as the age of reptiles because reptiles, namely dinosaurs, were the dominant terrestrial and marine vertebrates of the time...
(and especially in the Middle Jurassic, when several lineages of coelurosaurs are believed to have been acquiring their special characteristics), it has not been redescribed or even mentioned in anything more detailed than a faunal list since its initial citation.
External links
- "Ngexisaurus" in the Dinosaur Encyclopedia at DinoRuss' Lair
- "Ngexisaurus" at the Taxonomicon