Aublysodon is a group of dinosaurs that lived around 75 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. It is known mostly from a single type of tooth, which was found in Montana, USA.
The name Aublysodon means “backwards-flowing tooth.” The only recognized species is Aublysodon mirandus, named by a scientist named Joseph Leidy in 1868.
However, scientists now think that Aublysodon might not actually be its own unique dinosaur. The original tooth, which is the key specimen for this dinosaur, has been lost. Similar teeth have been found in different parts of the United States, Canada, and Asia. Most of these teeth probably belong to young members of the tyrannosaur family, specifically related to larger dinosaurs like Daspletosaurus.
Over the years, other species were named under the Aublysodon group, but most of these names are now considered uncertain or to belong to other dinosaurs.
A significant part of Aublysodon’s history revolves around its classification. In the beginning, fossils were often named based on isolated teeth. This practice led to the creation of many names, some of which were later found to be duplicates or incorrectly classified.
In the late 1800s, a scientist named Edward Cope initially named some teeth as part of a different dinosaur called Deinodon. Later, Joseph Leidy named them as Aublysodon mirandus. Because the same teeth were part of both names, there was confusion over which one should take precedence.
Even as scientists learned more about dinosaur classification, Aublysodon continued to be a mystery because no full skeletons were connected to its teeth. Some thought it belonged to other types of dinosaurs, but recent studies suggest these teeth are more likely from young tyrannosaurs.
Today, many scientists view Aublysodon as a name that doesn’t stand for a real dinosaur group because its discovered remains mostly match those of Daspletosaurus or other known species. This means that while Aublysodon is interesting, it might not be an actual valid name for a unique dinosaur anymore.
In summary, Aublysodon is mostly famous for its mysterious tooth, but it reminds us of how complicated and interesting the study of dinosaurs can be as scientists work to understand their fascinating history.