Priodontognathus

saw-toothed jaw

• priōn · Greek · saw
• odonto- · Greek · tooth
• gnathos · Greek · jaw

The name is built from three Greek elements: 'priōn' (saw), 'odous/odontos' (tooth), and 'gnathos' (jaw), giving the overall meaning "saw-toothed jaw." It was chosen to reflect the distinctive serrated or saw-like nature of the teeth along the jaw of this ornithischian dinosaur. The teeth of the type specimen appeared particularly well-developed and blade-like, which inspired the descriptive name.

Named by

Seeley

Year named

1875

Period

Late Jurassic

Stages

Oxfordian – Kimmeridgian

Found in

England, UK

Priodontognathus is generally regarded as a nomen dubium. It is based on very fragmentary material (partial jaw/teeth) from the Corallian Group of England, which makes definitive diagnosis impossible. It was originally described as an ornithischian (ankylosaur or stegosaur affinity has been suggested), but the material is too incomplete to be confidently assigned. Some older sources tentatively referred it to the Stegosauria.