Proceratosaurus

Proceratosaurus
Temporal range: Bathonian,
166 Ma
↓
Partial skull
Holotype skull (NHMUK PV R 4860)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Clade: Saurischia
Clade: Theropoda
Family: †Proceratosauridae
Genus: †Proceratosaurus
von Huene, 1926
Species:
†P. bradleyi
Binomial name
†Proceratosaurus bradleyi
(Woodward, 1910 [originally Megalosaurus])
Synonyms

Proceratosaurus is a genus of carnivorous theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of England. It contains a single species. P. bradleyi, known from a mostly complete skull and lower jaws. Proceratosaurus was a small dinosaur, estimated to measure around 3 m (9.8 ft) in length.[1][2][3] Its name refers to how it was originally thought to be an ancestor of Ceratosaurus, due to the partially preserved portion of the crest of Proceratosaurus superficially resembling the small crest of Ceratosaurus.[4] Now, however, it is considered a coelurosaur, specifically a member of the family Proceratosauridae, and amongst the earliest known members of the clade Tyrannosauroidea.[5]

The type specimen is held in the Natural History Museum in London and was described in 1910 from oolitic limestone of the Great Oolite Group near Minchinhampton while excavating for a reservoir.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference rauhutetal2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Holtz, Thomas R. Jr. (2008) Dinosaurs: The Most Complete, Up-to-Date Encyclopedia for Dinosaur Lovers of All Ages Supplementary Information
  3. ^ Paul, Gregory S. (2016). The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs. Princeton University Press. p. 105. ISBN 978-1-78684-190-2. OCLC 985402380.
  4. ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-84028-152-1.
  5. ^ Holtz, Thomas (December 1998). "A new phylogeny of the carnivorous dinosaurs" (PDF). Gaia. 15: 5–61.
  6. ^ "Oldest T. rex relative identified". BBC News. 2009-11-04. Retrieved 2009-11-04.