Pronunciation: ee-oh-TRAK-oh-don
Meaning: Dawn Trachodon
Author/s: Prieto-Márquez, et al. (2016)
Synonyms: None known
First Discovery: Alabama, USA
Acta Ordinal: #934
Eotrachodon orientalis
(Dawn Trachodon from the east)Etymology
Eotrachodon is derived from the Greek "eos" (dawn), "trakhys" (rough) and "dont" (tooth), and pays homage to Trachodon (the original rough tooth) which, in 1856, became the first duck-billed dinosaur to be named. Eotrachodon is older though, hence the name. The species epithet, orientalis, means "from the east". ZooBank registry: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C3B524BE-F8C5-49A1-982F-1FDE1FC7A43B.
Discovery
The remains of Eotrachodon were discovered at locality AMg-1 in the Mooreville Chalk Formation, Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama, USA, by Dr. Jan Novak in 2007. It was excavated, and prepared, by James Lamb of the University of West Alabama. The holotype (MSC 7949) is a partial skeleton and nearly complete skull. Study of a cross section of shinbone revealed that this individual was actively growing at the time of death and may have grown much bigger.
Preparator
James Lamb (University of West Alabama).
