Siamotyrannus

Siamese tyrant

• Siamo- · Latinized (from Siam) · Siam, the old name for Thailand
• tyrannos · Greek · tyrant

The name combines "Siam", the historical name of Thailand, with the Greek word for "tyrant". It means "Siamese tyrant". The describers first thought it was a very early tyrannosaurid, so they gave it a name that echoed Tyrannosaurus and recorded where it was found.

Named by

Buffetaut, Suteethorn and Tong

Year named

1996

Period

Early Cretaceous

Stage

Barremian

Found in

Sao Khua Formation, Phu Wiang, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand

The type species is Siamotyrannus isanensis. It was originally described as a primitive tyrannosaurid. Most later studies instead place it as a basal allosauroid (carcharodontosaurian), not a true tyrannosaur. Its exact age and relationships are debated.