Joanusaurus: Difference between revisions

==Discovery and history==

[[File:Greater Levantine Formation Joanusarus.png|thumb|Locations within the [[Greater Levantine Formation]] (yellow) where ''Joanusarus'' remains have been found, holotype marked with "1"]]

The discovery and early study of ''Joanusarus'' came in 1878 when a friend of the paleontologist [[Thibault d'Avignon]] bought a petrified bone from a curio shop in [[Koop]], [[Yonderre]]. Bones such as this had long been known to the populace of the industrious [[Vollardic Mountains]] and were known as the bones of ancient giants in local folklore. When examined by d'Avignon he recognized it as the ''radius'' bone of a large theropod and tentatively assigned it to the genus ''[[Vollardisaurus]]''. d'Avignon secured funding for an expedition to the [[Vollardic Mountains]] in August of 1878 where, aided by local silver miners, more remains were uncovered. In September of 1878 d'Avignon's expedition uncovered remains of a ''Joanusaurus'' in a disused silver mine. With about 31% of the skeleton present in the form of fragmentary bones including parts of three vertebrae, a rib fragment, a toe bone, and, most useful for later discussions, a near-complete skull, d'Avignon pronounced this to be a new species entirely and gave these remains the formal name ''Joanusaurus davignoni''. The species name means "Joanus' lizard" and is named in honour of [[Joanus de Martigueux]], founder of [[Yonderre]]. The type name ''davignoni'' is named for d'Avignon himself.