Nuthetes

one who admonishes (monitor)

• nouthetes · Greek · one who admonishes, a monitor

The name comes from the Greek "nouthetes", meaning "one who admonishes" or "monitor". Richard Owen coined it in 1854 for jaw fragments with teeth from the Purbeck beds of Dorset, which he thought belonged to a large lizard. The type species name, N. destructor ("destroyer"), refers to the animal's apparently destructive, predatory habits.

Named by

Owen

Year named

1854

Period

Early Cretaceous

Stage

Berriasian

Found in

Purbeck Group (Cherty Freshwater Member, Lulworth Formation), Dorset, England

Known from fragmentary jaw material. Originally interpreted as a lizard, it is now regarded as a small theropod, probably a dromaeosaurid or other coelurosaur. Some authors consider it doubtful because of the poor material, so its exact placement is uncertain.