Lanasaurus

Lana lizard (the first part is uncertain)

• saurus · Greek · lizard

The ending -saurus is the usual Greek word for "lizard". I can't confirm what the first part, "Lana-", refers to, so I haven't given a full etymology. The name was published by Gow in 1975 for a small early ornithischian dinosaur from southern Africa, known from very fragmentary remains.

Named by

Gow

Year named

1975

Period

Early Jurassic

Found in

Elliot Formation, South Africa

The type species is Lanasaurus scalpridens. It is based on scant material, and its validity and relationships are doubtful. It may be a doubtful name or a synonym of another early ornithischian such as a heterodontosaurid. I'm unsure of its current taxonomic status, so I haven't assigned one. Please check the original description and recent literature for the etymology and status.