Daspletosaurus torosus

What's in a Name?

Just as we sort animals that are living today into categories, such as fish or cats, with a variety of kinds within each category, so it is with dinosaurs. Scientists give living things a "first" name, to describe their genus, or the group to which they belong, and a "second", or species, name that describes that animal specifically.

To avoid confusion, only one language is used the world over for these scientific names: Latin. Unlike many other, familiar living things, most dinosaurs do not have common names (which typically vary among languages and even regions). Instead, we use the scientific names for dinosaurs.

Among the dinosaurs, a genus often may include only one species; there may have been others millions of years ago but their fossils have not yet been found. Such is the case of Daspletosaurus torosus, the lone species known in its group, or genus.

When Daspletosaurus torosus was first removed from its rocky grave in 1921, Charles Mortram Sternberg identified it as another kind of tyrannosaurid, what he thought was a new species of Gorgosaurus (the genus was later renamed Albertosaurus). After more bones of this kind of dinosaur were discovered many years later, Dale Russell realized that it should be classified as a new genus and species, and in 1970 gave it a new name.

With one breath, the name Daspletosaurus (das-PLEE-tuh-SAW-rus) torosus (taw-ROH-sus) describes characteristics of the animal and offers a respectful nod to Sternberg's opinion. Dasplet means horrid or frightful, and -saurus means lizard. Torosus means muscular or fleshy, and refers to the heavier proportion of this dinosaur as compared to those classified in the genus Albertosaurus.

Daspletosaurus torosus was a theropod, as are all carnivorous dinosaurs. Theropod means "beast foot", inspired by the very sharply clawed, three-toed feet of these animals.