PBDB Taxon

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Saniwa ensidens

Reptilia

Taxonomy

Saniwa ensidens was named by Leidy (1870). Its type specimen is USNM 2185, a set of postcrania (disarticulated partial skeleton including partial skull and mandible fragment), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is East of Granger, which is in a Bridgerian terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming. It is the type species of Saniwa.

Synonyms

Saniwa brooksi was named by Brattstrom (1955). Its type specimen is LACM CIT. No. 5117, a set of vertebrae (four vertebrae), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is San Diego Mission (CIT 249), which is in an Uintan terrestrial conglomerate in the Friars Formation of California.

It was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Rieppel and Grande (2007).
Thinosaurus paucidens was named by Marsh (1872). Its type specimen is YPM (unknown, lost), a partial skeleton (greater part of a skeleton), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Grizzly Buttes, which is in a Bridgerian terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming.

It was recombined as Saniwa paucidens by Gilmore (1928) and Hay (1930); it was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Rieppel and Grande (2007).
Thinosaurus leptodus was named by Marsh (1872) [type collected by J. F. Quigley "at Grizzly Buttes"]. Its type specimen is YPM 612 (anterior portion of right dentary, plus posterior skeleton) and is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Grizzly Buttes, which is in a Bridgerian terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming.

It was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Hay (1930), Rieppel and Grande (2007) and Smith et al. (2018).
Thinosaurus crassus was named by Marsh (1872) [type collected by Marsh in 1871 "near Henry's Fork"]. Its type specimen is YPM 610, a set of postcrania (a number of dorsal vertebrae and a few other less characteristic remains), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Henry's Fork, which is in an Eocene terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming.

It was recombined as Saniwa crassa by Gilmore (1928) and Hay (1930); it was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Rieppel and Grande (2007).
Thinosaurus grandis was named by Marsh (1872). Its type specimen is YPM 611 (part), a set of postcrania (trunk vertebra lacking the condylar end), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Grizzly Buttes, which is in a Bridgerian terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming.

It was recombined as Saniwa grandis by Gilmore (1928) and Hay (1930); it was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Rieppel and Grande (2007).
Thinosaurus agilis was named by Marsh (1872). Its type specimen is YPM 609, a partial skeleton (dentary with one tooth, four vertebrae, distal femur, distal phalanx), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Henry's Fork, which is in an Eocene terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming.

It was recombined as Saniwa agilis by Gilmore (1928) and Hay (1930); it was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Rieppel and Grande (2007).
Saniva major was named by Leidy (1873) [original type series included distal end of left humerus that was made the type of Minerva saurodosis by Wetmore 1921]. It is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Lodge-Pole Trail, which is in a Bridgerian terrestrial horizon in the Bridger Formation of Wyoming.

It was recombined as Saniwa major by Hay (1902) and Wetmore (1921); it was synonymized subjectively with Saniwa ensidens by Hay (1930) and Estes (1983).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1870	Saniwa ensidens Leidy p. 124
1872	Saniva ensidens Leidy p. 370
1872	Thinosaurus paucidens Marsh p. 299
1872	Thinosaurus leptodus Marsh p. 300
1872	Thinosaurus crassus Marsh p. 301
1872	Thinosaurus grandis Marsh p. 301
1872	Thinosaurus agilis Marsh p. 302
1873	Thinosaurus leptodus Cope p. 632
1873	Saniva ensidens Leidy p. 181
1873	Saniva major Leidy p. 182
1902	Saniwa ensidens Hay p. 475
1902	Saniwa major Hay p. 475
1902	Thinosaurus agilis Hay p. 476
1902	Thinosaurus crassus Hay p. 476
1902	Thinosaurus grandis Hay p. 476
1902	Thinosaurus leptodus Hay p. 476
1902	Thinosaurus paucidens Hay p. 476
1921	Saniwa major Wetmore p. 455
1928	Saniwa agilis Gilmore
1928	Saniwa crassa Gilmore
1928	Saniwa grandis Gilmore
1928	Saniwa paucidens Gilmore
1930	Saniwa agilis Hay p. 252
1930	Saniwa crassa Hay p. 252
1930	Saniwa ensidens Hay p. 252
1930	Saniwa grandis Hay p. 252
1930	Saniwa paucidens Hay p. 252
1955	Saniwa brooksi Brattstrom p. 145
2007	Saniwa ensidens Rieppel and Grande p. 644

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda
—	Reptiliomorpha
—	Anthracosauria

Rank	Name	Author
subclass	Amphibiosauria	Kuhn 1967
—	Cotylosauria	()
—	Amniota
—	Sauropsida
class	Reptilia
—	Squamata	()
—	Anguimorpha	(Fürbringer 1900)
—	Anguiformes	(Bonaparte 1831)
infraorder	Platynota	Baur 1890
superfamily	Varanoidea	Gray 1827
subfamily	Saniwinae	Camp 1923
genus	Saniwa
species	ensidens

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Saniwa ensidens Leidy 1870

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Invalid names: Saniwa brooksi Brattstrom 1955 [synonym], Saniwa major Leidy 1873 [synonym], Thinosaurus agilis Marsh 1872 [synonym], Thinosaurus crassus Marsh 1872 [synonym], Thinosaurus grandis Marsh 1872 [synonym], Thinosaurus leptodus Marsh 1872 [synonym], Thinosaurus paucidens Marsh 1872 [synonym]

Diagnosis

No diagnoses are available

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

terrestrialg

Locomotion:

actively mobilec

Diet:

carnivoreg

Reproduction:

oviparoussuperf

Created:

2005-09-16 14:07:29

Modified:

2005-09-16 16:07:29

Source: g = genus, superf = superfamily, c = class, subp = subphylum

References: Pianka and Vitt 2003, Gilmore 1928, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009

Age range: base of the Wasatchian to the top of the Uintan or 55.80000 to 39.70000 Ma

Collections (29 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Wasatchian	55.8 - 50.3	USA (Wyoming)	Saniwa ensidens (15853 85026 179977)
Wasatchian	55.8 - 50.3	USA (New Mexico)	Saniwa ensidens (186899 186901)
Wasatchian	55.8 - 50.3	USA (North Dakota)	Saniwa ensidens (15895)
Bridgerian	50.3 - 46.2	USA (Wyoming)	Saniwa crassa (16211 16234 16278) Saniwa ensidens (15837 16136 16210 27269 type locality: 99835) Saniwa grandis (16431) Saniwa major (106325) Thinosaurus paucidens, Thinosaurus leptodus, Thinosaurus grandis (16228)
Middle Eocene	47.8 - 37.71	USA (Wyoming)	Saniwa paucidens (118469) Thinosaurus crassus, Thinosaurus agilis (81455)
Early/Lower Uintan	46.2 - 39.7	USA (Utah)	Saniwa crassa (179979)
Early/Lower Uintan	46.2 - 39.7	USA (California)	Saniwa brooksi (16665 16702 16705 16706)
Uintan	46.2 - 39.7	USA (Utah)	Saniwa crassa (16606) Saniwa ensidens (16654) Thinosaurus paucidens (179978)
Uintan	46.2 - 39.7	USA (California)	Saniwa brooksi (16786 16791)