Which paleontologist is honored by the specific epithet Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei?
Answer
José Fernando Bonaparte
The specific epithet *bonapartei* used in the full species name, *Xenotarsosaurus bonapartei*, serves as a direct tribute to the paleontologist José Fernando Bonaparte. Bonaparte was instrumental in the recovery efforts after the initial discovery, leading the team that excavated additional theropod bones likely belonging to the same individual specimen. Although the formal description in 1986 involved a team of four scientists, Bonaparte’s significant contribution to paleontology in the region and his role in retrieving the material warranted this specific honorific designation within the scientific classification.
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?