Leptospondylus

slender vertebra

• leptos · Greek · slender, thin, delicate
• spondylos · Greek · vertebra

The name Leptospondylus combines the Greek words 'leptos' (slender or thin) and 'spondylos' (vertebra), meaning 'slender vertebra'. It was chosen to reflect the gracile, lightly built nature of the vertebrae preserved in the fossil material. The name was applied by Richard Owen in 1854 based on fragmentary remains from England.

Named by

Owen

Year named

1854

Period

Early Jurassic

Stage

Hettangian

Found in

England, UK

Leptospondylus is generally regarded as a nomen dubium. It was based on very fragmentary vertebral material that is insufficient to confidently diagnose a distinct genus. Some earlier workers considered it a possible synonym of Massospondylus or related prosauropods, but the material is too incomplete to establish a firm synonymy. It should not be confused with the amphibian order Lepospondyli, which is an entirely different group.