| Vadasaurus Temporal range: Late Jurassic,
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| The holotype fossil of Vadasaurus herzogi | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Rhynchocephalia |
| Suborder: | Sphenodontia |
| Genus: | †Vadasaurus |
| Type species | |
| Vadasaurus herzogi Bever & Norell, 2017
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Vadasaurus is an extinct genus of rhynchocephalian closely related to the aquatic pleurosaurids. Although this genus was not as specialized as the eel-like pleurosaurs for aquatic life, various skeletal features support the idea that it had a semiaquatic lifestyle. The type species, Vadasaurus herzogi, was described and named in 2017. It was discovered in the Solnhofen Limestone in Germany, which is dated to the Late Jurassic. The generic name "Vadasaurus" is derived from "vadare", which is Latin for "to go" or "to walk forth", and "saurus", which means "lizard" (although rhynchocephalians are not lizards). "Vadare" is the root of the English word "wade", which is the reason it was chosen for this genus, in reference to its perceived semiaquatic habits. The specific name, "herzogi", refers to Werner Herzog, a Bavarian filmmaker.[1]
- ^ Gabriel S. Bever; Mark A. Norell (2017). "A new rhynchocephalian (Reptilia: Lepidosauria) from the Late Jurassic of Solnhofen (Germany) and the origin of the marine Pleurosauridae". Royal Society Open Science. 4 (11): 170570. doi:10.1098/rsos.170570. PMC 5717629. PMID 29291055.