Pronunciation: BAH-sho-SOR-us
Meaning: Bay lizard
Author/s: Coria, Currie and Carabajal (2006)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Neuquén, Argentina
Discovery Chart Position: #
"Bayosaurus"
The Argentinean abelisauroid fossil record begins with Ligabueino in the Early Cretaceous and spans through the earliest Late Cretaceous with Ilokelesia, Xenotarsosaurus and Ekrixinatosaurus from the Cenomanian to the latest Late Cretaceous with Abelisaurus, Carnotaurus, Aucasaurus and Noasaurus from the Campanian-Maastrichtian. Unfortunately, there's a 10 million-year period (Turonian-Coniacian-Santonian, or 94-84 mya of the Late Cretaceous) where remnants of these weird ceratosaurian theropods are lacking in Argentina. And that's sad, seeing as most other theropod groups underwent their most dramatic transformations during this period.
The purported Argentinean abelisauroid "Bayosaurus" could perhaps add a few sentences to this utterly important missing chapter of its family evolution, but has yet to be officially described and so languishes with the riff-raff in nomina nuda. Heck, it's been pretty much ignored since its discovery in 2000, with only one group of authors (Coria, Currie and Carabajal), a decade ago as of 2016, affording it so much as a smidgen of attention. Therefore, despite its potential importance, "Bayosaurus" is officially unofficial, and until that changes, it's fated to spend eternity enclosed in quotation marks. .
The purported Argentinean abelisauroid "Bayosaurus" could perhaps add a few sentences to this utterly important missing chapter of its family evolution, but has yet to be officially described and so languishes with the riff-raff in nomina nuda. Heck, it's been pretty much ignored since its discovery in 2000, with only one group of authors (Coria, Currie and Carabajal), a decade ago as of 2016, affording it so much as a smidgen of attention. Therefore, despite its potential importance, "Bayosaurus" is officially unofficial, and until that changes, it's fated to spend eternity enclosed in quotation marks. .
Etymology
We're guessing "Bayosaurus" is derived from "Bayo" (for Cerro Bayo Mesa, meaning "Bay Mountain plateau", where it was discovered) and the Greek "sauros" lizard). A species epithet has not been assigned.
Discovery
The remains of "Bayosaurus" were discovered in the middle section of the Lisandro Formation at Cerro Bayo Mesa, Neuquén Province, Argentina, in 2000. Its remains, catalogued as MCF-PVPH-237, include vertebrae from the back and hip, a fragmentary pelvis, and some other fragments.
