Pronunciation: veh-TEH-ru-PRIS-tee-SOR-us
Meaning: Old shark lizard
Author/s: Rauhut (2011)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Tendaguru, Tanzania
Discovery Chart Position: #788
Veterupristisaurus milneri
(Milner's old shark lizard)Etymology
Veterupristisaurus is derived from the Latin "veterus" (old) and "pristis" (a large sea monster, often used for sharks), and the Greek "sauros" (lizard). Thus, the name means "old shark lizard", in reference to its status as the currently oldest known representative of the shark-toothed lizards, the carcharodontosaurids.
The species epithet, milneri, honours Angela C. Milner, for her many contributions to vertebrate palaeontology, including numerous works on theropod dinosaurs.
Discovery
The remains of Veterupristisaurus were discovered at the Stegosaur (EH) locality in the Middle Dinosaur Member of the Tendaguru Formation, Tendaguru, Tanzania, German East Africa, by Werner Janensch.
The holotype (MB R 1938) is a mid-tail vertebra. MB R 2166 (two partially fused mid-tail vertebrae) from the same locality and most probably the same individual were referred to this genus by Rauhut in 2011. All three were originally assigned to Ceratosaurus? roechlingi by Janensch in 1925.
