Heishansaurus

Heishan lizard

• Heishan · Chinese · Black Mountain (a place in Gansu Province, China)
• saurus · Greek · lizard

The name combines the Chinese place name "Heishan" (黑山), meaning "Black Mountain," with the Greek word "sauros" (lizard). It refers to the Heishan (Black Mountain) area of Gansu Province, China, near where the fossil material was discovered. The name therefore means "Black Mountain lizard," honouring the locality of the find.

Named by

Bohlin

Year named

1953

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stages

Campanian – Maastrichtian

Found in

Wangshi Group / Minhe Formation, Gansu Province, China

Heishansaurus pachycephalus Bohlin, 1953 is generally regarded as a nomen dubium. It was originally described as an ankylosaur (or possibly a pachycephalosaur, as the species epithet "pachycephalus" — thick-headed — suggests), but the fragmentary nature of the material means its classification is uncertain and the name cannot be reliably applied. It is a true dinosaur. Confidence is medium due to the obscurity and dubious status of the taxon.