Lucianosaurus is a genus of archosauriforme diapsid reptile known from the Late Triassic (Norian) of New Mexico. There is only one representative of this genus, L. wildi.
Lucianosaurus possesses unknown affinities in the Archosauriformes, possibly being an archosaur or something different. Its remains first were diagnosed as a basal ornithischian dinosaur. Its uncertain classification is due to the lack of fossil remains attributable to this genus and species, for this taxon is known only from teeth.
Lucianosaurus was found in the Bull Canyon Formation, which yields other taxa, like Technosaurus, the theropod Gojirasaurus, the informal "Comanchesaurus", the aetosaur Lucasuchus, the informally named "Cryptoraptor" (usually regarded as indeterminate dinosaur remains), and the highly controversial Protoavis - which is possibly just a chimera of many individual animals.
References[]
- Russ Jacobson, "LUCIANOSAURUS". Dinoruss. http://web.me.com/dinoruss/de_4/5a7b7e4.htm.
- Irmis, R.B.; Parker, W.G.; Nesbitt, S.J.; Liu, J. (2006). "Early ornithischian dinosaurs: the Triassic record.' Historical Biology, 19(1):3-22. doi: 10.1080/089129606007199888.
- Tweet, J. (2010). "Dinosaurs". Thescelosaurus.com. http://www.thescelosaurus.com/dinosauromorpha.htm.
- Chiappe, L. (1995): The first 85 million years of avian evolution. Nature 391: 147-152.