Megacervixosaurus

large-necked lizard

• mega · Greek · large/great
• cervix · Latin · neck
• saurus · Greek · lizard

The name combines the Greek prefix 'mega-' (large/great), the Latin word 'cervix' (neck), and the Greek 'sauros' (lizard). Together the name means roughly 'great-necked lizard', referring to the notably elongated neck vertebrae of the animal. It is an unusual hybrid of Greek and Latin roots, which is relatively uncommon in dinosaur nomenclature.

Named by

Ye, Zhao, and Zhu

Year named

2001

Period

Late Cretaceous

Stage

Campanian

Found in

Xinjiang, China

Megacervixosaurus tibetensis was described from fragmentary material (cervical vertebrae) from the Late Cretaceous of China. It is generally considered a nomen dubium because the material is too incomplete to reliably diagnose it or confidently place it within Sauropoda beyond a general assignment. It is a sauropod dinosaur.