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Sauro Words: “Pinacosaurus” to “Sauropodomorphs”
Groups "P-S"

A Greek element that is used in various forms to create hundreds of words that mean “lizard”: sauro-, saur-, -saurus, -saurid, -saur, -sauria, -saurian. Some authorities use sauro-, -saurus, et al. as a reference to a “serpent” or a “reptile”; but it is used especially with reference to “dinosaurs”.



Pinacosaurus:
A “plank (board) lizard” or “planked (head) lizard” from Late Cretaceous Mongolia and northern China. Formerly called Syrmosaurus. The name is said to come from Greek pinak (pinax), “small board, plank, tablet”. It was found in the Gobi desert in Mongolia, China and named by U. S. paleontologist Charles Whitney Gilmore in 1933.
Piratosaurus:
A “pirate lizard” from Late Cretaceous North America. Named by Joseph Leidy in 1865.
Pisanosaurus:
“Pisano’s lizard” from Late Triassic northwest Argentina. Named in honor of Juan A. Pisano, an Argentine paleontologist at the faculty of Natural Sciences and the Museum of La Plata, Argentina. Named by R. M. Casamiquela in 1967.
Pistosaurus:
A reptile with flipper-like limbs that amphibious. Fossils were found in France and Germany where it lived during the Middle Triassic period. It is not considered to be a dinosaur.
Piveteausaurus:
“Piveteau’s lizard” from Middle Jurassic Normandy, France. It was named in honor of Jean Piveteau (1899-1991), a French paleontologist. Named by Philippe Tauqet and U. S. paleontologist Samuel Paul Welles in 1977.
Plateosaurids:
Its name “flat lizards” which were built like anchisaurids, but most were larger, with bigger, stronger skulls, jaws hinged in a more effective way, and broader hands and feet. They lived from Late Triassic to Early Jurassic times in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Plateosaurus:
A “flat (or broad) lizard” from Late Triassic Germany, France, Switzerland, England, Nova Scotia (Canada) and South Africa. This fossil was formerly called Dimodosaurus, Gresslyosaurus, Pachysauriscus, Pachysaurus, and Sellosaurus. Named by naturalist naturalist Hermann von Meyer in 1837.
Plesiosaurus:
A “near” (“approximate to the Saurians”) from Early Jurassic Europe (England and Germany). It was not a dinosaur. Named by De la Beche and William Daniel Conybeare in 1821.
Pliosaurus:
A “more (greater) saurian”) from Middle-Late Jurassic and Creataceous Europe. It was not a dinosaur. Named by British anatomist Sir Richard Owen in 1841.
Plotosaurus:
A “floating lizard” from Late Cretaceous North America was not a dinosaur. It was a marine reptile that swam in shallow seas.
Podokesaurus:
This nomenclature (“swift-footed lizard”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is Coelophysis. Named by US paleontologist Mignon Talbot in 1911.
Polyodontosaurus:
This nomenclature (“many-toothed lizard”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is Stenonychosaurus. Named by U. S. paleontologist Charles Whitney Gilmore in 1932.
Poposaurus:
Means “Popo Agie lizard” from Late Triassic Wyoming. Its name comes from Crow Indian popo agie,head (water) river”. It was named for the Popo Agie River, in the Triassic red beds near Lander, Wyoming, by Professor E. B. Branson. Named by M. G. Mehl in 1915.
Probactrosaurus:
Means “before-the-Bactrian lizard” from Early Cretaceous China and Mongolia. Named by Anatoly Konstantinovich Rozhdestvensky in 1966.
Proceratosaurus:
Means “before-the-horned lizard” or “before Ceratosaurus” from Early Jurassic England (Bathonian Great Oolite of Gloucestershire). Named by German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene in 1926.
Procerosaurus:
This nomenclature (“before-tailed lizard”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is Iguanodon. Named by German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene in 1902.
Procheneosaurus:
This nomenclature (“before Cheneosaurus”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is either Corythosaurus or Lambeosaurus. Named by George Frederic Matthew (1837-?) in 1920.
Prodokesaurus:
Means “swift-footed lizard” from Early Jurassic North America.
Prosaurolophus:
Means “before Saurolophus or first-crested lizard” from Late Cretaceous Alberta, Canada. Named by paleontologist Barnum Brown (1873-1963) in 1916.
Prosauropods:
Means “before-the-lizard feet” from Mid Triassic to Early Jurassic included the first big, four-legged, plant-eating dinosaurs.
Protosaurus:
Classified as being the same as Chasmosaurus, “cleft lizard” from Alberta and New Mexico.
Protognathosaurus:
A “first-jaw lizard” from Early Jurassic China. The name comes from Greek protos, “first, forward” plus Greek gnathos, “jaw”. Named by paleontologist George Gyorgivich Olshevsky (a.k.a. Dinogeorge) in 1991.
Psittacousaurid:
A family of “parrot lizards.”
Psittacosaurs, Psittacosaurus:
A “parrot-beaked lizard” from Early Cretaceous Mongolia, east and northwest China, Thailand, and southern Siberia. It was named by U. S. paleontologist Henry Fairfield Osborn in 1923.
Pterosaur:
A “winged lizard” that was a flying prehistoric reptile but not a dinosaur; however, it was closely related to dinosaurs.
Pterosauria:
Lizards with wings.
Pterospondylus:
Classified as being the same as Procompsognathus, “before Compsognathus” from Late Triassic southern Germany.
Qantassaurus:
A plant-eating dinosaur, an ornithopod found in Australia and was named by Patricia Vickers-Rich in 1997.
Qinlingosaurus:
“Qin Ling lizard” from Late Cretaceous China. Its name comes from Qin Ling, another name for Shaazi Province, “mountain range”, in China. It was named by Xue, Zhang, and Bi in 1996.
Quaesitosaurus:
“abnormal or extraordiary lizard” from Late Cretaceous Mongolia. Its name comes from Latin quaesitus, “uncommon, extraordinary” because of its unusual skull which is the only thing about this fossil that is known now. It was found in the Gobi deser of Mongolia. Named by A. F. Bannikov and Sergei Mikhailovich Kurzanov in 1983.
Rayososaurus:
“Rayoso Formation lizard” from Early or Middle Cretaceous Argentina. It was named for the Middle Cretaceous Rayoso Formation, where the specimen was found in Neuquen Province, Patagonia, Argentina. Named by Argentinian paleontologist José Bonaparte in 1995 or 1996.
Rebbachisaurus:
“Rebbachi-territory lizard” from Early Cretaceous Morocco, Nigeria, and Tunisia. Named by French paleontologist R. Lavocat in 1954 for the Alt Rebbach, the Berber tribe on whose territory the fossil was found at Gara Sba, Ksar-es-Souk Province, Morocco.
Redondasaurus:
“Redonda (surrounding district) lizard” from Late Triassic New Mexico. It was named for the Redonda Formation, east central New Mexico where it was found. Named by Adrian Paul Hunt and Frederic Augustus Lucas (1852-1929) in 1993. ????
Regnosaurus:
A “Sussex lizard” from Early Cretaceous England. Named for the Regni, an ancient tribe that lived in southern (modern Sussex), England. Named by British paleontologist Gideon A. Matheron Mantell (1790-1852) in 1848.
Revueltosaurus:
“Revuelto lizard” or “Revuelto Creek lizard” from Late Triassic New Mexico. Named for Revuelto (Spanish revuelto, “mixed up, complicated”) Creek, New Mexico. Named by Adrian Paul Hunt in 1989.
Rhadionsaurus:
A “slender lizard” from Late Cretaceous Europe. Named by British paleontologist Harry Govier Seeley (1839-1909) in 1881.
Rhodanosaurus:
This nomenclature (“Rhone River lizard”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is Struthiosaurus. Named by Franz Baron Nopcsa in 1929.
Rhoetosaurus:
“Roetos (Trojan) lizard” gets its name from a giant of Greek and Roman mythology and comes from Middle Jurassic eastern Australia. Named by J. Heber Longman in 1925.
Rhomaleosaurus:
“robust lizard” from Early Jurassic Europe. Named by Harry Govier Seeleyin 1874.
Rhynchosaurs:
Mammal-like reptiles from Late Triassic period.
Rioarribasaurus:
“Rioariba lizard” or “Rioa Arriba lizard” from Late Triassic New Mexico. Named for Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Note that the name Rioarribasaurus was put on the Official Index of Rejected and Invalid Generic Names in Zoology (1996), and cannot be used as a valid name in taxonomic literature. Apparently it is now supposed to be Coelophysis. Named by Adrian Paul Hunt and Frederic Augustus Lucas (1852-1929) in 1991.
Riojasaurus:
“La Rioja lizard” from Late Triassic and Early Jurassic northwest Argentina’s La Rioja Province in the Los Colorados Formation. Formerly known as Strenusaurus. Named by Argentinian paleontologist José Bonaparte in 1969.
Roccosaurus:
“Rocco lizard” from Late Triassic southern Africa.
Saltasaurus:
“Salta lizard” from Late Cretaceous Salta Province, northwest Argentina and Uruguay. Named by paleontologists José Bonaparte and Jaime Eduardo Powell in 1980.
Sangonghesaurus:
“?? lizard” from ?? Named by Zijin Zhao in 1983.
Sanpasaurus:
“Sanpa lizard” from Middle Jurassic south-central China. It is said to be named for the Sanba, an ancient name for Sichuan Province, China. Named by Chinese paleontologist Yang Zhong-jian (also known as: Chung Chien Young) in 1946.
Sarcosaurus:
A “flesh lizard” from Early Jurassic England. Named by U. S. fossil hunter Roy Chapman Andrews (1884-1960) in 1921.
Sauria:
Lizards; large and diverse suborder of reptiles consisting of 3300 species in 17 families.
saurian:
1. Lizard; any of a former suborder of reptiles that included all lizards.
2. Relating to or resembling a lizard.
Saurischian:
Order of dinosaurs, “lizard hipped”, characterized by the lizard-type hip; includes large bipedal carnivores and large quadripedal herbivores. This major groupng of dinosaurs consists of theoropods and sauropods.
saurochorous, saurochore, saurochory:
Dispersed or distributed by lizards or snakes; also known as saurophilous.
saurodont:
A reference to a lizard’s or dinosaur’s tooth.
sauroid:
In zoology, resembling a reptile.
Saurolophus, Saurolophine:
Means “ridged (crested) lizard” from Late Cretaceous Mongolia and North America (Alberta, Canada). Named by paleontologist Barnum Brown (1873-1963) in 1912.
Sauronithoidids:
These “bird-like lizards” were lightweight predators as long as a man. They shared some features found in other small theropods. They are said to have lived in Late Cretaceous northern areas.
Sauropelta:
A “small-shield lizard” from Early Cretaceous or Late Cretaceous Montana, USA. Named by U. S. paleontologist John H. Ostrom in 1970.
Saurophaganax:
A “king-of-the-reptile eaters” from Late Jurassic Oklahoma. Named by Daniel J. Chure in 1995.
Saurophagus:
This nomenclature (“reptile eater”) is no longer recognized by scientists because they found that it described an animal that was previously given another name which is Allosaurus.
Sauroplites:
A “lizard hoplite” from Early Cretaceous or Late Cretaceous north China and Mongolia. The name comes from the hoplites, the name of the heavily armed infantry of ancient Greece. Named by Birger Bohlin in 1953.
sauropod:
In paleontology, any member of the infraorder sauropoda. It was a huge, quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaur with long necks, small heads, and long tails.
Sauropoda:
Known as “lizard feet” is a group of saurischian dinosaurs containing many large, quadripedal herbivores; such as, Diplodocus, the largest known terrestrial animal from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
Sauropods:
These “lizard feet” had five-toed feet, like lizards, but had little else in common with them. Among the largest beasts that ever walked the earth, these peaceful plant-eaters included giants the length of several buses, and heavier than perhaps a dozen big bull elephants. By Late Jurassic times, sauropods ranked among the most abundant of all plant-eating dinosaurs in lands as far apart as western North America, East Africa, and China.
Sauropoda:
Known as “lizard feet” is a group of saurischian dinosaurs containing many large, quadripedal herbivores; such as, Diplodocus, the largest known terrestrial animal from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
Sauropodomorphs:
The early Sauropodomorphs were Prosauropods (“before the lizard feet”). They included the first plant-eating dinosaurs, and most are believed to have lived before the much larger, herbivorous sauropods (“lizard feet”).