Pronunciation:
Meaning: Western claw
Author/s: Rotatori et al. (2024)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Lourinhã, Portugal
Discovery Chart Position: #1122
Hesperonyx martinhotomasorum
(Martinho and Tomás's Western Claw)Etymology
Hesperonyx is derived from "Hesperus" (the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology, who represents the western direction—referencing the holotype locality in western Portugal) and the Greek "onyx" (claw) The species epithet, martinhotomasorum, honours Micael Martinho and Carla Alexandra Tomás, for their fossil curation and preparation at the Museu da Lourinhã, Portugal. ZooBank registry: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5F4D52D0-0F0B-4809-8561-BE58C7C97D45.
Discovery
The remains of Hesperonyx were discovered in the Porto Novo Member of the Lourinhã Formation, along the beach at Porto Dinheiro, Ribamar, Lourinhã, Portugal, in 2021.
The holotype (ML 2700) consists of a forearm bone (ulna), one partial hand bone (metacarpal) a hand claw, a shin, a calfbone, most of the foot bones (metatarsals), five partial toe bones (phalanges) and three toe claws, mostly from the left side.
Preparators
Micael Martinho and Carla Tomás.
