Gojirasaurus
Temporal range: Late Triassic,
Hypothetical restoration
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Genus: †Gojirasaurus
Carpenter, 1997
Species:
†G. quayi
Binomial name
†Gojirasaurus quayi
Carpenter, 1997

Gojirasaurus (meaning "Godzilla lizard")[1] is a potentially dubious genus of coelophysoid theropod dinosaur named after the giant monster movie character Godzilla (Hepburn: Gojira).

Etymology

The composite term Gojirasaurus is derived from the name of the giant Japanese movie monster "Gojira" (Godzilla) and the Greek word "sauros" (σαυρος) meaning "lizard";[2] thus, "Godzilla lizard". In addition, a theropod dinosaur with the name Godzillasaurus exists in the Heisei era of Godzilla films, and in that continuity is explained to be the non mutated form of Godzilla. "Gojira" was selected as a reference to the great size of this theropod, which exceeded that of its Triassic counterparts. The specific name quayi, is a reference to Quay County, New Mexico, where the holotype specimen was discovered. Gojirasaurus was described and named by Kenneth Carpenter in 1997 and the type species is Gojirasaurus quayi.[1]

Description

Gojirasaurus is one of the largest theropods known from the Triassic Period, measuring 5.5–6 metres (18–20 ft) long and weighing 150 kilograms (330 lb).[1][3] Carpenter (1997) pointed to features of the pelvis and ankle suggesting that this was an immature individual, and could therefore have grown to even a larger size in maturity.[1] Christopher T. Griffith (2019) confirmed Gojirasaurus possessed features indicative of ontogenetic immaturity.[4] Specimen NMMNH P-4666, which consists of only a pubis, was referred to this genus by Hunt in 1994.

Classification

In 1994 Adrian Hunt, in his unpublished thesis, described and named this material "Revueltoraptor lucasi" which is now considered a nomen nudum.[5] Carpenter officially described and named UCM 47221, Gojirasaurus quayi in 1997 and classified it as a coelophysoid. The original remains attributed to this dinosaur included a serrated tooth, a cervical rib, two anterior dorsal ribs, one posterior dorsal rib, a right scapula, two gastralia, four vertebrae, one anterior chevron, a right pubis, a left tibia, and one metatarsal.[1] Tykoski and Rowe (2004) and later Carrano et al. (2005) agreed that Gojirasaurus is more derived than Dilophosaurus[6][7] Later, Nesbitt et al. (2007) argued that the vertebrae actually belonged to the rauisuchian Shuvosaurus, and the pubis and tibia belonged to another coelophysoid, indistinguishable from the contemporary Coelophysis, making the status of Gojirasaurus as a valid genus dubious;[5] however, Lucas et al. (2007) rebutted the synonymy with Shuvosaurus, claiming that this assignment isn't supported, in spite of the taphonomic association.[8]

Distinguishing anatomical features

According to Nesbitt et al. (2007), Gojirasaurus can be distinguished based on the fact that its tibia is more robust than that of its relative Coelophysis.[1] Mortimer (2012) has proposed that the observed difference in the leg bone might be just size-related, and not a true apomorphy. Rauhut (2003) attempted to diagnose this genus based on the fact that the mid/posterior dorsal vertebrae had taller neural spines than those observed in other coelophysoids. However, the reassignment of the dorsal vertebrae on which the diagnosis was based would render it invalid.[9]

Paleoecology

The only known specimen of Gojirasaurus was discovered in the Cooper Canyon Formation of the Dockum Group near Revuelto Creek, Quay County, in New Mexico. This genus was discovered in 1981, in gray carbonaceous mudstone deposited during the Norian stage of the Late Triassic, which based on magnetostratigraphy,[10] was approximately 228 to 208 million years ago. This specimen is housed in the collection of the University of Colorado Museum, in Boulder, Colorado. Gojirasaurus's assignment to the Coelophysoidea, would suggest that it was a bipedal, terrestrial, actively mobile carnivore. Contemporaries of Gojirasaurus included the pseudosuchian Shuvosaurus, and the phytosaur Rutiodon.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 K. Carpenter, 1997, "A giant coelophysoid (Ceratosauria) theropod from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico, USA", Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 205 (#2): 189-208
  2. ↑ Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott (1980). A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged ed.). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-910207-5.
  3. ↑ Paul, Gregory S. (2010). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-691-13720-9.
  4. ↑ Griffin, Christopher T. (September 2019). "Large neotheropods from the Upper Triassic of North America and the early evolution of large theropod body sizes". Journal of Paleontology. 93 (5): 1010–1030. doi:10.1017/jpa.2019.13. ISSN 0022-3360.
  5. 1 2 Nesbitt, Sterling J.; Irmis, Randall B.; Parker, William G. (June 2007). "A critical re-evaluation of the Late Triassic dinosaur taxa of North America". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 5 (2): 209–243. doi:10.1017/S1477201907002040. S2CID 28782207.
  6. ↑ Tykoski, R.S. & Rowe, T. (2004). "Ceratosauria". In: Weishampel, D.B., Dodson, P., & Osmolska, H. (Eds.) The Dinosauria (2nd edition). Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 47–70 ISBN 0-520-24209-2
  7. ↑ Carrano, Hutchinson and Sampson, 2005. New information on Segisaurus halli, a small theropod dinosaur from the Early Jurassic of Arizona. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 25 (#4), 835–849.
  8. ↑ Lucas, S.G.; Spielmann, J.A.; Hunt, A.P. (2007). "Taxonomy of Shuvosaurus, a Late Triassic Archosaur from the Chinle Group, American Southwest". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. 41: 259–261.
  9. ↑ Mortimer, Mickey (2012). "Coelophysoidea". Archived from the original on 4 May 2013.
  10. ↑ Molina-Garza, R. S., Geissman, J. W., and Lucas, S. G. 1993. Late Carnian-early Norian magnetostratigraphy from nonmarine strata, Chinle Group, New Mexico.
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