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Megalosauropus broomensis

Reptilia

Taxonomy
Megalosauropus broomensis was named by Colbert and Merrilees (1967). It is considered to be a form taxon. Its type specimen is WAM 66.2.51, a footprint, and it is a trace fossil. Its type locality is Minyirr tracksite, which is in a Valanginian/Barremian lagoonal sandstone/siltstone in the Broome Sandstone Formation of Australia. It is the type species of Megalosauropus.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1967Megalosauropus broomensis Colbert and Merrilees
1971Megalosauropus broomensis Haubold p. 79
1980Megalosauropus broomensis Molnar p. 58
1991Megalosauropus broomensis Molnar p. 660
1992Megalosauropus broomensis Long p. 262
1996Megalosauropus broomensis Lockley et al. p. 113
2001Megalosauropus broomensis Mayor and Sarjeant p. 159
2006Megalosauropus broomensis Scanlon p. 274
2009Megalosauropus broomensis Thulborn p. 89
2011Megalosauropus broomensis McCrea et al. p. 4
2011Megalosauropus broomensis Romilio and Salisbury p. 138
2012Megalosauropus broomensis Zammit and Elliott p. 25
2016Megalosauropus broomensis Salisbury et al. p. 29–30
2017Megalosauropus broomensis Romilio et al. p. 3
2018Megalosauropus broomensis Marty et al. p. 943
2020Megalosauropus broomensis Bessedik et al. p. 37
2021Megalosauropus broomfieldensis Meyer et al. p. 553
2023Megalosauropus broomensis Poropat et al. p. 175

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
—Sauropsida
RankNameAuthor
classReptilia
subclassEureptilia()
—Romeriida
—Diapsida()
—Archosauromorpha(Huene 1946)
—Crocopoda
—ArchosauriformesGauthier 1986
—Eucrocopoda
—Archosauria()
informalAvemetatarsalia
—Ornithodira
—Dinosauromorpha
—Dinosauriformes
—Dinosauria()
—Theropoda()
genusMegalosauropus
speciesbroomensis

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Megalosauropus broomensis Colbert and Merrilees 1967
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
E. H. Colbert and D. Merrilees 1967As given for the genus, above.
S. W. Salisbury et al. 2016Pedal tracks: medium- to large-sized (proximodistal length 28.6–44.3 cm, mediolateral width 22.5–35.5 cm), tridactyl, mesaxonic (digital impression extension to track length ratio 0.30–0.47), longer than wide, with an average maximum length to maximum width ratio approximately 1.0–1.3; individual digital impressions proportionately elongated and narrow, and of similar width (the approximate width of each digital impression is approximately one-seventh the total track length), with the central digital impression (digit III) being the longest (basal digital impression length 42–72% the total length), and the impressions of digits II and IV often extending distally to approximately the same level relative to the principal track axis; on shallow tracks, the impression of digit II shortens proximally relative to the length of the impression of digit IV; axes of the impressions of digits III and IV typically intersect distal to the intersection of the axes of the impressions of digits II and III; total divarication angle between the axes of impressions of digits II and IV 66–81°; divarication of axes of impressions of digits III and IV (31–45°) typically greater than divarication of axes of impressions of digits II and III (27–39°); digital pad impressions may be present, with the formula 2/II, 3/III, 3/IV; a possible fourth pad impression may also be present proximally on the impression of digit III (visible only on the holotype); ungual impressions may be present distally on all digital impressions; a separate, circular metatarsodigital pad impression immediately proximal to the proximal end of the impression of digit IV and in line with the principal track axis on the majority of shallow tracks, with a maximum width that is slightly greater than that of each digital impression; on deeper tracks, the diameter of the single metatarsodigital pad impression increases, becoming contiguous with the proximal end of each digital impression; separation between the impression of digit II and that of the metatarsodigital pad results in proximomedial indentation on shallow tracks; proximolateral indentations between the impression of digit IV and the metatarsodigital pad shorter than the corresponding proximomedial indentations; hallucal impression absent on all tracks, irrespective of depth. Trackway: pace angulation 140–160°; typical stride length approximately 7 times the maximum pedal track length; typical pace approximately 3 times the maximum pedal track length.