Alvarezsaurus

Álvarez's lizard

• Alvarez · Spanish (surname) · Gregorio Álvarez, Argentine historian
• saurus · Greek · lizard

Alvarezsaurus was named in honour of the Spanish historian Gregorio Álvarez, not the Alvarez of the asteroid-impact hypothesis. The name is built from his surname plus the Greek word for lizard. It was the first member discovered of the group of small, long-legged, short-armed theropods now called alvarezsaurids.

Named by

Bonaparte

Year named

1991

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stages

Coniacian – Santonian

Found in

Bajo de la Carpa Formation, Neuquén Province, Argentina

Type species is Alvarezsaurus calvoi. The name honours the historian Gregorio Álvarez, who was from Neuquén Province. The species name honours Jorge Calvo. It is a small theropod and the namesake of the family Alvarezsauridae.