於1877年,奧塞內爾·查利斯·馬什(Othniel Charles Marsh)公布一個新的蜥腳類恐龍,埃阿斯迷惑龍(Apatosaurus ajax)。在1879年,馬什將另一個更為完整的標本成立為新屬,秀麗雷龍(Brontosaurus excelsus)。在1903年,埃爾默·里格斯(Elmer S. Riggs)發現秀麗雷龍與埃阿斯迷惑龍非常類似,應為同種動物,於是將秀麗雷龍改為秀麗迷惑龍。根據國際動物命名委員會的規定,由於迷惑龍首先被公布,故其名稱具有優先權。所以雷龍被認為是迷惑龍的次異名,成為非正式用法。之前廣為人知的雷龍圖片,於1970年代被人發現是秀麗迷惑龍(Apatosaurus excelsus)加上圓頂龍的頭部[6]。
然而,近代以羅伯特·巴克(Robert T. Bakker)為首的古生物學家重新檢視化石證據,結果發現雷龍屬和迷惑龍的在頸部與頭部的骨骼特徵差異頗大,重新激起了迷惑龍和雷龍分類的討論,雷龍有可能重新獲得屬的地位。[7]
其他種
1.另外,A. yahnahpin是在1994年由Filla、James以及Redman等人所命名。在1998年,羅伯特·巴克(Robert T. Bakker)將A. yahnahpin改建立為新屬原雷龍,模式種是Eobrontosaurus yahnahpin。化石為一個部分骨骸,發現於懷俄明州。 2賽爾沃─魯斯艾,是梁龍(Diplodocus)、迷惑龍(Apatosaurus)和腕龍(Brachiosaurus)的祖先,重約32到40公斤<70到90磅>,存活在侏羅紀(Jurassic)末期。
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