Pronunciation: SAH-ruh-SOR-us
Meaning: Sarah (Butler's) lizard
Author/s: Rowe, Sues and Reisz (2010)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Arizona, USA
Discovery Chart Position: #738
Sarahsaurus aurifontanalis
(Sarah's lizard of Gold Springs)Etymology
Sarahsaurus is derived from "Sarah" (for Sarah [Mrs. Ernest] Butler) and the Greek "sauros" (lizard).
Butler, an Austin philanthropist and long time supporter of the arts and sciences, chaired a fundraising committee for the Dino Pit: an interactive exhibit at the Austin Nature and Science Center that encourages children to dig up their own fossil replicas. The dino Pit had been in the pipeline for two decades, but became a reality when Butler arrived to push fundraising efforts. The species epithet, aurifontanalis, is derived from the Latin "aurum" (gold) and "fontanalis" (of the spring) in reference to Gold Spring, Arizona, where the holotype was found.
Discovery
Sarahsaurus was discovered in the Silty Facies Member of the Kayenta Formation (Glen Canyon Group), northern edge of Gold Spring Wash drainage basin, Coconino County, northeastern Arizona, by Tim Rowe in 1997.
The holotype (TMM 43646-2) is a nearly complete articulated skeleton including a partial skull.
Referred material includes a partial skeleton from the holotype quarry (TMM 43646-3), and a skull with lower jaw, fragments of vertebrae and a partial thigh and upper arm bone (MCZ 8893) collected by a party from Harvard University in Arizona's Kayenta Formation at the base of "Rock Head". The latter was initially described as a North American specimen of Africa's Massospondylus by Attridge, Crompton and Jenkins in 1985.
A specimen of Dilophosaurus wetherilli was found in the same quarry in 1997.
