Dinosauria Translation and Pronunciation Guide V

Ben Creisler

Valdoraptor Olshevsky 1991 "Wealden robber"*

VAL-do-RAP-tor (Lat. valdus "Weald" + Lat. raptor "robber") (m) named for the Wealden deposits of England, where the specimen was found; based on a metatarsus originally attributed to Hylaeosaurus by Owen. Theropoda i.s. E. Cret. Eur. [nomen dubium]

Valdosaurus Galton 1977 "Wealden lizard"

VAL-do-SAWR-us (Lat. valdus "Weald" + Gr. sauros "lizard") (m) named for the Early Cretaceous Wealden deposits in which its fossils were found. Ornithopoda Hypsilophodontidae E. Cret. Eur.

Variraptor Le Leouff & Buffetaut 1998 "Var (France) thief"

VAHR-i-RAP-tor (Var (Latin Varus, name of a river) + Lat. raptor "thief") (m) named for the Var River and the Var Department in the Provence region of southern France, to indicate a maniraptoran theropod found in the Gres a Reptiles Formation at La Bastide Neuve, near Fox-Amphoux (Var, France). Based on a posterior dorsal vertebra (MDE-D168) and a sacrum (MDE-D169) with 5 fused vertebrae; additional referred material includes a right humerus (MDE-D158) with a delto-pectoral crest more developed than in any other theropod known, suggesting a strong raptorial function for the forearm. Other attributed bones include a femur, and various vertebrae. The incomplete remains have dromaeosaurid features in the shape of the vertebrae and the humerus, with some resemblances to Deinonychus. An adult animal may have been slightly smaller than Deinonychus at around 2 meters (6.5 ft.) long.

Type Species: Variraptor mechinorum [may-shee-NOR-uhm] Le Leouff & Buffetaut 1998: for Patrick and Annie Mechin, amateur paleontologists who found the first remains in 1992 and presented the holotype to the Musee des Dinosaures in Esperanza, France. Theropoda Maniraptora Dromaeosauridae Late Cretaceous (Late Campanian or Early Maastrichtian) Eur. [added 5/99]

Vectensia Delair 1982 "for Isle of Wight"

vek-TEN-see-a (from Lat. vectensis "belonging to the Isle of Wight [Vectis]" + -ia) (f) named for Isle of Wight, England, where the fragmentary specimen was found. [= Polacanthus]

Vectisaurus Hulke 1879 "Isle of Wight lizard"

VEK-ti-SAWR-us (Lat. Vectis "Isle of Wight" + Gr. sauros "lizard") (m) named for the Isle of Wight, England, where the specimen was found; a juvenile Iguanodon. [= Iguanodon]

Velocipes von Huene 1932 "swift foot"

vee-LOHS-i-pees (Lat. velocis (velox) "swift" + Lat. pes "foot") (m) named for a lightly built fibula, indicating a swift runner. Theropoda L. Trias. Eur. [nomen dubium]

Velocisaurus Bonaparte 1991 "swift lizard"

vee-LOHS-i-SAWR-us (Lat. velocis (velox) "swift" + Gr. sauros "lizard") (m) named to indicate the light build of a small theropod. Theropoda Velocisauridae L. Cret. SA.

Velociraptor Osborn 1924 "swift robber"

vee-LOHS-i-RAP-tor (Lat. velocis (velox) "swift" + Lat. raptor "robber") (m) named to indicate "an alert, swift-moving carnivorous dinosaur." Theropoda Dromaeosauridae L. Cret. CAs.

Venenosaurus Tidwell, Carpenter & Meyer 2001 "Poison Strip lizard"

ve-NEE-no-SAWR-us (Lat. venenum "poison" + Gr. sauros "lizard")* (m) named for the Poison Strip Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah, where the fossils were found. Venenosaurus is a relatively small (probably around 10 m (33 ft) long) titanosauriform sauropod, known from an incomplete skeleton of a single individual (Holotype: DMNH 40932 Denver Museum of Natural History), including caudal vertebrae, left scapula, right radius, left ulna, metacarpals, manus phalanges, right pubis, left and right ischia, metarsals, chevrons and ribs, found in the Early Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) Poison Strip Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation in Grand County, Utah. The tail vertebrae have unique morphologies: the centra of the proximal caudal vertebrae have a slightly convex anterior surface but a flat posterior surface; the middle caudal vertebrae combine forward-leaning neural spines with amphiplatyan (flat-at-both-ends) centra.

Type Species: Venenosaurus dicrocei [di-KROH-chee-ie] Tidwell, Carpenter & Meyer 2001: for Anthony Dicroce, who discovered the specimen. Sauropoda Titanosauriformes Early Cretaceous (Aptian- Albian) NA

Volkheimeria Bonaparte 1979 "for W. Volkheimer"

VOLK-hie-MEER-ee-a (f) named to honor Wolfgang Volkheimer, Argentine geologist and paleontologist. Sauropoda Brachiosauridae M. Jur. SA.

Vulcanodon Raath 1972 "volcano tooth"

vuhl-KAYN-o-don (Latin Vulcanus, Roman god of fire + Gr. odon "tooth") (m) "The generic name Vulcanodon is derived from the fact that this animal, with 'good carnosaur teeth' was preserved sandwiched between two lava flows indicative of vulcanism" in Mashonaland North, Zimbabwe. The animal was originally classified as a prosauropod that possibly ate lake-dwelling shellfish. Prosauropods are now known to be herbivores, and the namesake "carnosaur" teeth found with the specimen are now attributed to an unidentified theropod. The type specimen of Vulcanodon itself has been restricted to the bones, identified as those of a primitive sauropod whose true teeth are not known. Sauropoda Vulcanodontidae E. Jur. SAfr.