Bugenasaura
boo-JEN-ah-SORE-us /buˌdʒɛnəˈsɔːrəs/
Synonym of Thescelosaurus
large-cheeked lizard
- bu- · Greek · big, large
- genas · Greek · cheek
- saura · Greek · lizard
The name combines Greek roots meaning "big", "cheek" and "lizard", so it means "large-cheeked lizard". It refers to the prominent cheek region of the skull, which suggests the animal had well-developed cheeks for processing plant food. The type species, B. infernalis, refers to the Hell Creek Formation where it was found.
- Named by
- Galton
- Year named
- 1995
- Period
- Late Cretaceous
- Stage
- Maastrichtian
- Found in
- Hell Creek Formation, South Dakota, USA
A small, bipedal plant-eating ornithischian (ornithopod). Many researchers now regard Bugenasaura as a junior synonym of Thescelosaurus, so it is not widely used as a valid genus. Opinions have differed over the years, and I'm only moderately sure of its current status.