Pronunciation: en-IG-mo-SOR-us
Meaning: Enigmatic lizard
Author/s: Barsbold (1983)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Ömnögovi, Mongolia
Discovery Chart Position: #300
Enigmosaurus mongoliensis
(Enigmatic Lizard from Mongolia)Etymology
Enigmosaurus is derived from the Greek "ainigma" (enigmatic, mysterious) and "sauros" (lizard), due to its weird pelvis.
The species epithet, mongoliensis, means "from Mongolia" in Latin.
Discovery
The remains of Enigmosaurus were discovered in the Baynshire Formation (called Baynshirenskaya Svita by Barsbold in 1983, and referred to as Bayan Shire, Bayan Shireh, Baynshire Svita, Bayan Shireh Svita, Bayan Shiren Svita, Bayanshiree Svita, by other folk at various times) at Khara Khutul, Ömnögovi (Southern Gobi) Aimag (Province), Mongolia, during a Soviet-Mongolian expedition in 1979.
The holotype (PST GIN AN MNP 100/84) is a pelvis lacking most of the parts known as ilia. A number of other fragmentary elements not mentioned in the original descriptions of the holotype are labelled with the same specimen number, including the crushed end of a thigh, the shaft of a larger thigh, ribs, a partial upper arm, and pieces of both bones from a lower arm, that are all in poor condition. While most elements might reasonably pertain to the holotype individual, the larger thigh clearly does not.
