In what year was the genus and species Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei formally described?
Answer
1986
Although the geologist Juan Carlos Sciutto discovered the rich fossil site in 1980, and further bones were recovered subsequently, the formal scientific description and publication of the genus and species *Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei* did not occur until 1986. This description was authored by Rubén Martínez, Olga Giménez, Jorge Rodríguez, and Graciela Bochatey. This six-year gap between the initial field discovery and the official scientific naming illustrates a common timeframe in paleontology where complex preparation, study, analysis, and peer review must conclude before a new taxon can be introduced to the scientific record based on preserved material like the vertebrae (UNPSJB PV 184) and the hind limb (PVL 612).
Related Questions
Where is the primary physical location centered for known Xenotarsosaurus fossils?What is the critical geological unit that preserves the remains of Xenotarsosaurus?What are the revised geological stages for Xenotarsosaurus found in the Bajo Barreal Formation?Which geologist discovered the rich fossil site of Xenotarsosaurus in 1980?Which paleontologist is honored by the specific epithet Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei?What anatomical feature caused the generic name Xenotarsosaurus to mean 'strange tarsus lizard'?Which cotype specimen includes the right hind limb (PVL 612) of Xenotarsosaurus?Which hadrosaurid shared the Cenomanian–Turonian Patagonian ecosystem with Xenotarsosaurus?In what year was the genus and species Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei formally described?What conflicting geological period is sometimes associated with Xenotarsosaurus in media like The Isle?