Jurassosaurus

Jurassic lizard

• Jurassic · Modern Latin / English · of the Jurassic period (from the Jura Mountains)
• saurus · Greek · lizard

The name combines "Jurassic" — the geologic period during which this animal lived — with the Greek word "sauros," meaning lizard. The Jurassic period itself is named after the Jura Mountains on the border of France and Switzerland. The name therefore means "Jurassic lizard," simply referencing the time period of the animal's existence.

Named by

Dong

Year named

1997

Period

Middle Jurassic

Stage

Callovian

Found in

Shishugou Formation, Xinjiang, China

Jurassosaurus nedegoapeferima is the only species. It is a small ankylosaur (thyreophoran dinosaur). The species name is an unusual acronym honouring the actors and filmmakers connected to the movie Jurassic Park (Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, Ariana Richards, Joseph Mazzello, and Steven Spielberg). It is sometimes considered a nomen dubium due to fragmentary material, but the genus name itself is published and valid.