Pronunciation: AH-nah-SAH-zee-SOR-us
Meaning: Anasazi lizard
Author/s: Hunt and Lucas (1993)
Synonyms: Kritosaurus navajovius
First Discovery: New Mexico, USA
Discovery Chart Position: #383
Anasazisaurus horneri
A year before Anasazisaurus — one of the duck-billed, herbivorous saurolophines — was officially named, Jack Horner assigned its partial, poorly preserved and only partially prepared skull to Kritosaurus navajovius, itself historically entangled with Gryposaurus. And the cheeky bugger only had it on loan from Brigham Young University at the time. Its discoverer, Spencer G. Lucas, has always maintained that Kritosaurus is dubious and in no position to be accepting new remains, so in 1993, he moved his find to its own genus, Anasazisaurus, and 50% of palaeontologists rejoiced. However, the other 50% didn't, and they promptly pushed it back.
It's been shunted to and fro ever since, with no sign of respite, as those who think the pair are distinct critters are clinging limpet-like to a single, ever so subtle difference in the design of their headgear; the poorly-preserved arched snout crest of Kritosaurus stops in line with the front of its eye socket while that of Anasazisaurus extends a little past this point, then folds under itself, creating a small cleft between the crest and the skull roof.
It's been shunted to and fro ever since, with no sign of respite, as those who think the pair are distinct critters are clinging limpet-like to a single, ever so subtle difference in the design of their headgear; the poorly-preserved arched snout crest of Kritosaurus stops in line with the front of its eye socket while that of Anasazisaurus extends a little past this point, then folds under itself, creating a small cleft between the crest and the skull roof.
(Horner's Anasazi lizard)Etymology
Anasazisaurus is derived from "Anasazi" (a Navajo term for the "Ancient Pueblo" peoples of New Mexico, which literally means "enemy ancestors") and the Greek "sauros" (lizard). The species epithet, horneri, honours palaeontologist Jack Horner.
Discovery
The remains of Anasazisaurus were discovered at "Betonnie Tstosie Wash" in the Farmington Member of the Kirtland Formation, San Juan County, New Mexico, USA, by Spencer G. Lucas during a Brigham Young University field party in 1977.The holotype (BYU 12950) is a partial skull.
