Pronunciation: lee-o-neh-ra-sor-us
Meaning: Las Leoneras lizard
Author/s: Pol, Garrido and Cerda (2011)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Chubut, Argentina
Discovery Chart Position: #766
Leonerasaurus taquetrensis
(Las Leoneras Lizard from Taquetrén)Etymology
Leonerasaurus is derived from "Leoneras" (for the formation in which the holotype was found) and the Greek "sauros" (lizard).
The species epithet, taquetrensis, is derived from "Taquetrén" (for the Sierras de Taquetrén, where the Las Leoneras Formation crops out in Central Patagonia) and the Latin "ensis" (from).
Discovery
The remains of Leonerasaurus were discovered approximately 42 m below the top of the Las Leoneras Formation at Cañadón Las Leoneras, south of Cañadón del Zaino, southeast of Sierra de Taquetrén, Chubut Province, Central Patagonia, Argentina, by landowner Mr. Shanagan.
The holotype (MPEF-PV 1663—housed at Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio, Trelew, Argentina) is a series of neck and back vertebrae, more back vertebrae, a block of hip vertebrae with both ilia and the right ischium attached, a right shoulder blade, and an upper arm, found in natural position, as a partially articulated specimen. A piece of lower jaw, isolated teeth, a partial thigh, two toes and a separate toe claw were found within a radius of one meter from the center of the articulated specimen.
Preparator
Mariano Caffa.
