Longosaurus

Longo's lizard

• Longo · Latin (personal name) · honoring paleontologist Albert G. Longo
• saurus · Greek · lizard

Longosaurus is named partly in honor of Albert G. Longo, who assisted in the collection of the original specimens, combined with the standard Greek suffix "-saurus" meaning "lizard." The genus was described from fragmentary material found in New Mexico. The name follows the common paleontological convention of commemorating a contributor to the discovery or preparation of the fossils.

Named by

Welles

Year named

1984

Period

Late Triassic

Stage

Norian

Found in

Chinle Formation, New Mexico, USA

Longosaurus is a small coelophysoid theropod dinosaur known from very fragmentary remains. It was named by Samuel P. Welles in 1984. The genus is widely regarded as a nomen dubium because the material is too fragmentary to reliably distinguish it from other contemporary coelophysoids, particularly Coelophysis. Many researchers consider it likely synonymous with Coelophysis bauri, but a formal synonymy has not been universally accepted.