Zupaysaurus

devil lizard

• Zupay · Quechua · devil, evil spirit
• saurus · Greek · lizard

The name combines "Zupay", a Quechua word for a devil or evil spirit, with the Greek "sauros", meaning lizard. It means "devil lizard". Quechua is an Indigenous language of the Andes, which fits the fossil's discovery in Argentina. The type species is Zupaysaurus rougieri.

Named by

Arcucci and Coria

Year named

2003

Period

Late Triassic

Stage

Norian

Found in

Los Colorados Formation, La Rioja Province, Argentina

A early theropod dinosaur, known from a single species. Its exact position within early theropods has been debated. The age is given as Norian, and the formation's dating is not fully certain.