The Newtonsaurus was a dinosaur which is believed to have lived in the late Triassic period.
It is not yet described by any scientist and hence its existence is considered dubious. Its remains were discovered in the year 1899 and were classified under a different existing genus. Later, they were ascribed their own generic name ‘Newtonsaurus’. But because its bones did not prove to be diagnostically relevant, scientists have not been able to define or classify it. In fact, the name 'Newtonsaurus' is unofficial.
A name is considered official when a scientist publishes a research paper describing a set of remains and registers the name with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Unless this protocol is followed, the name remains available for anybody to use. Unless this dinosaur is described in detail, the name Newtonsaurus can be used for any other newly discovered animal.
The genus Newtonsaurus is deemed nomen nudum.
Nomen nudumg enera
‘Nomen’ is the Latin term or ‘name’ and ‘nudum’ is Latin for ‘nude’.
When a zoological genus is considered nomen nudum,it indicates that the name of the genus is not recognized in its current state. The reason for it to unacceptable can be multifold.
In the case of the Newtonsaurus, there isn’t enough information to qualify it as a valid genus. Thus, its name cannot be included in the ICZN.
Discovery of fossils
The fossils which are currently named Newtonsaurus were discovered in Wales in the United Kingdom in 1899. They were excavated in a natural geological structure which consisted of layers of sedimentary rocks. This particular area contains fossils from the Rhaetian age of the Triassic period.
The remains were discovered by paleontologist Edwin Tully Newton.
Age of fossils
The region of Wales in which the bones the bones of the Newtonsaurus were discovered yields fossils predominantly from the late Triassic period. Dinosaurs were present only in small numbers in the Triassic period. It was only after the Triassic- Jurassic extinction event that the dinosaurs had emerged as the dominant land species. Thus, the Newtonsaurus could possibly have been a dinosaur which survived this event.
Nature of fossils
The remains of the Newtonsaurus resemble those of Ceratosaur dinosaurs. During the excavation in Wales, only a lower jaw was discovered. This jaw possessed sharp teeth which were curved backwards.
Such teeth were seen carnivorous dinosaurs. Furthermore, the morphology of this jaw and the contours of its teeth marched ceratosaur dinosaurs. Also, the fossils of the Hence, the Newtonsaurus is presumed to be a ceratosaur.
However, the jaw was not well preserved and determining the taxonomic location of a set remains based only on dentition is not plausible most of the times. Unless all teeth are present in the fossils and they are in an extremely good condition, such deductions cannot be made.
Etymology
The Newtonsaurus was named after its discovered Edwin Tully Newton. The term ‘-saurus’ is inspired from the Greek word ‘sauros’ which means ‘lizard’ in English. Hence, the name Newtonsaurus means ‘Newton’s lizard’.
The species name Newtonsaurus cambrensis was derived from the pen name of the famous Welsh chronicler and traveler Gerard de Barri. Barri wrote under the name Giraldius Cambrensis. This specific name was coined by E. T. Newton.
The new generic Newtonsaurus was selected by scientists Samuel Welles and David Pickering.
Classification
The remains of the Newtonsaurus were originally ascribed to the genus Zanclodon in 1899. The Zanclodon was a Triassic archosaur. The location of the Zanclodon in the taxonomic chart is still debatable even today despite of it being a clearly described genus.
A few years later, it was noticed that these teeth fragments were incongruous with the rest of the Zanclodon fossils. They were then shifted to the genus Megalosaurus, which is a theropod dinosaur.
Finally in the year 1999, it was seen that the jaw and teeth fossils did not resemble those of the Megalosaurus either. Hence they were ascribed their own new genus.
Samuel Welles did not venture to describe the exact classification of the Newtonsaurus. He stated that he believed it to be a ceratosaur, but was unable to provide adequate proof for it.
It is not yet described by any scientist and hence its existence is considered dubious. Its remains were discovered in the year 1899 and were classified under a different existing genus. Later, they were ascribed their own generic name ‘Newtonsaurus’. But because its bones did not prove to be diagnostically relevant, scientists have not been able to define or classify it. In fact, the name 'Newtonsaurus' is unofficial.
A name is considered official when a scientist publishes a research paper describing a set of remains and registers the name with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN). Unless this protocol is followed, the name remains available for anybody to use. Unless this dinosaur is described in detail, the name Newtonsaurus can be used for any other newly discovered animal.
The genus Newtonsaurus is deemed nomen nudum.
Nomen nudumg enera
‘Nomen’ is the Latin term or ‘name’ and ‘nudum’ is Latin for ‘nude’.
When a zoological genus is considered nomen nudum,it indicates that the name of the genus is not recognized in its current state. The reason for it to unacceptable can be multifold.
In the case of the Newtonsaurus, there isn’t enough information to qualify it as a valid genus. Thus, its name cannot be included in the ICZN.
Discovery of fossils
The fossils which are currently named Newtonsaurus were discovered in Wales in the United Kingdom in 1899. They were excavated in a natural geological structure which consisted of layers of sedimentary rocks. This particular area contains fossils from the Rhaetian age of the Triassic period.
The remains were discovered by paleontologist Edwin Tully Newton.
Age of fossils
The region of Wales in which the bones the bones of the Newtonsaurus were discovered yields fossils predominantly from the late Triassic period. Dinosaurs were present only in small numbers in the Triassic period. It was only after the Triassic- Jurassic extinction event that the dinosaurs had emerged as the dominant land species. Thus, the Newtonsaurus could possibly have been a dinosaur which survived this event.
Nature of fossils
The remains of the Newtonsaurus resemble those of Ceratosaur dinosaurs. During the excavation in Wales, only a lower jaw was discovered. This jaw possessed sharp teeth which were curved backwards.
Such teeth were seen carnivorous dinosaurs. Furthermore, the morphology of this jaw and the contours of its teeth marched ceratosaur dinosaurs. Also, the fossils of the Hence, the Newtonsaurus is presumed to be a ceratosaur.
However, the jaw was not well preserved and determining the taxonomic location of a set remains based only on dentition is not plausible most of the times. Unless all teeth are present in the fossils and they are in an extremely good condition, such deductions cannot be made.
Etymology
The Newtonsaurus was named after its discovered Edwin Tully Newton. The term ‘-saurus’ is inspired from the Greek word ‘sauros’ which means ‘lizard’ in English. Hence, the name Newtonsaurus means ‘Newton’s lizard’.
The species name Newtonsaurus cambrensis was derived from the pen name of the famous Welsh chronicler and traveler Gerard de Barri. Barri wrote under the name Giraldius Cambrensis. This specific name was coined by E. T. Newton.
The new generic Newtonsaurus was selected by scientists Samuel Welles and David Pickering.
Classification
The remains of the Newtonsaurus were originally ascribed to the genus Zanclodon in 1899. The Zanclodon was a Triassic archosaur. The location of the Zanclodon in the taxonomic chart is still debatable even today despite of it being a clearly described genus.
A few years later, it was noticed that these teeth fragments were incongruous with the rest of the Zanclodon fossils. They were then shifted to the genus Megalosaurus, which is a theropod dinosaur.
Finally in the year 1999, it was seen that the jaw and teeth fossils did not resemble those of the Megalosaurus either. Hence they were ascribed their own new genus.
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