Epanterias

taxobox|
name = "Epanterias"
fossil_range = Late Jurassic
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
superordo = Dinosauria
ordo = Saurischia
subordo = Theropoda
familia = Allosauridae
genus = "Epanterias"
genus_authority = Cope, 1878
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "E. amplexus" Cope, 1878 (type)

"Epanterias" is a genus of theropod dinosaur from the Kimmeridgian-Tithonian-age Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Colorado. It was described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1878. The type species is "Epanterias amplexus".cite journal |last=Cope |first=Edward Drinker |year=1878 |title=A new opisthocoelous dinosaur |journal=American Naturalist |volume=12 |issue=6 |pages=406] This genus is based on what is now AMNH 5767, parts of three vertebrae, a coracoid, and a metatarsal.cite journal |last=Osborn |first=Henry Fairfield |authorlink=Henry Fairfield Osborn |coauthors=and Mook, Charles C. |year=1921 |title="Camarasaurus", "Amphicoelias", and other sauropods of Cope |journal=Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History, New Series |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=247–387 ] Although Cope thought it was a sauropod,, it was later shown to be a theropod. Gregory S. Paul reassessed the material as pertaining to a large species of "Allosaurus" in 1988 ("Allosaurus amplexus"),cite book |last=Paul |first=Gregory S. |title=Predatory Dinosaurs of the World |year=1988 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York |isbn=0-671-61946-2 |chapter=Genus "Allosaurus" |pages=pp. 307–313 ] and other authors have gone further with the comparison and considered "E. amplexus" simply a large individual of "Allosaurus fragilis".cite book|last=Holtz |first=Thomas R., Jr. |authorlink=Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. |coauthors=Molnar, Ralph E.; and Currie, Philip J. |year=2004 |editor=Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.)|title=The Dinosauria |edition=2nd ed. |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |isbn=0-520-24209-2 |pages=71–110 ] This genus is known for its size, estimated as measuring 12.1 meters in length (39.7 ft) — nearly as large as "Tyrannosaurus".cite web |publisher=The Dinosaur Mailing List |url=http://dml.cmnh.org/2003Jul/msg00355.html |title=And the Largest Theropod Is.... |last=Mortimer |first=Mickey |date=2003-07-21 |accessdate=2007-09-08]

References

External links

* [http://www.dinoruss.com/de_4/5a8ee4c.htm "Epanterias" in The Dinosaur Encyclopedia] , at Dino Russ's Lair.