Metriacanthosaurus

moderately spined lizard

• metrios · Greek · moderate, medium
• akantha · Greek · spine
• sauros · Greek · lizard

The name combines Greek words meaning "moderate", "spine" and "lizard". It refers to the neural spines on the vertebrae, which were taller than those of typical theropods but lower than the very tall spines of relatives such as Acrocanthosaurus ("high-spined"). It was originally described by Walker in 1964 as a species of Megalosaurus and later given its own genus.

Named by

Walker

Year named

1964

Period

Late Jurassic

Stage

Oxfordian

Found in

Oxford Clay Formation, Dorset, England, UK

A medium-to-large metriacanthosaurid theropod. The type species is Metriacanthosaurus parkeri. Some authors have suggested the Oxfordian age is approximate, but it is generally given as Oxfordian. The name was first published in 1964 by Alick Walker.