Manidens

hand tooth

• manus · Latin · hand
• dens · Latin · tooth

Manidens combines the Latin words for "hand" and "tooth". The name was given to a small heterodontosaurid from Patagonia. It refers to the hand-like shape of its cheek teeth, which have a crown with several small cusps. The only named species is Manidens condorensis, which is named after Cerro Cóndor.

Named by

Pol, Rauhut and Becerra

Year named

2011

Period

Middle Jurassic

Found in

Cañadón Asfalto Formation, Chubut Province, Argentina

Manidens is a heterodontosaurid ornithischian dinosaur. It was one of the first heterodontosaurids found in South America. The exact age of the Cañadón Asfalto Formation has been debated, so the stage is left blank. The explanation of the name's "hand-like" meaning is given with medium confidence.