Rutellum

"Rutellum" is the pre-Linnaean name given to a genus of dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic. It was a sauropod, possibly a cetiosaurid,Delair, J.B., and Sarjeant, W.A.S. (2002). The earliest discoveries of dinosaurs: the records re-examined. "Proceedings of the Geologists' Association" 113:185-197.] which lived in what is now England. The "type species", "R. implicatum", was described in 1699 by Edward Lhuyd,Lhuyd, E. (1699). "Lithophylacii Britannici Ichnographia, sive lapidium aliorumque fossilium Britannicorum singulari figura insignium". Gleditsch and Weidmann:London.] and is notable as the earliest scientifically described entity that is recognizable as a dinosaur. It was based on a tooth collected from Caswell, near Whitney, Oxfordshire.Gunther, R.T. (1945). "Early Science in Oxford: Life and Letters of Edward Lhuyd", volume 14. Author:Oxford.]

"Rutellum", however, is a "nomen oblitum"-- a name not used scientifically for at least fifty years after its proposal. Under current ICZN rules, the name is thus invalid.

"See also" Scrotum.

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