Paluxysaurus Jonesi

Texas designated Brachiosaur sauropod, Pleurocoelus as the official state dinosaur in 1997. But in 2007, paleontologists re-identified the bones and footprints (left in the north and central parts of Texas about 95 to 112 million years ago) as Paluxysaurus Jonesi. The dinosaur is named for the town of Paluxy in Hood County and for the Paluxy River, both of which are near the Jones Ranch site where the fossils of this species were discovered.

In 2009 a resolution was passed to amend the name of the Lone Star state dinosaur to Paluxysaurus Jonesi. it is estimated that this dinosaur measured 70 feet long and 12 feet high at the shoulder, and weighed as much as 20 tons. All State Dinosaurs

 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Texas has become world famous for its many dinosaur discoveries and for many of its unique dinosaur specimens such as the Pleurocoelus; and

WHEREAS, When the sea submerged the Antlers and the Paluxy formations, it put an end to dinosaurs in this region of the earth known as Texas for nearly five million years, approximately 105 to 100 million years ago; and

WHEREAS, There was an interruption in North America's geographic history caused by the expansion of the sea 100 million years ago, creating the Western Interior Sea Way which joined the Gulf of Mexico with the Arctic Ocean, thereby  essentially splitting North America into two halves and remaining that way until very near the end of the Age of Dinosaurs, about 66 million years ago; and

WHEREAS, Several formations were laid down in Central Texas during that interval of marine time, fossilizing the remains of the 65 to 70 foot creature known as Pleurocoelus; and

WHEREAS, Today the footprints of Pleurocoelus created so long ago are visible once more, as featured in the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History's exhibition, Lone Star Dinosaurs; and

WHEREAS, Sauropods, specifically the species Pleurocoelus, inhabited the earth approximately 65 to 200 million years ago, then died out, leaving the footprints and bones in rock as young as 105 million years old,  preserving this creature's prevalence in and across the State of Texas, causing the trackway left in Glen Rose, and making this site world famous; and

WHEREAS, All Pleurocoelus disappeared from North America for 35 to 40 million years, then reappeared, returning to what is referred to as the second dinosaur world in the heart of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Brachiosaur tracks are clearly the footprints of the species Pleurocoelus, large Quadrupedal Sauropod; they are responsible for not only the tracks in the Glen Rose region but those scattered across Texas; and

WHEREAS, Because the Pleurocoelus tracks and bone are found mainly in Texas and a small portion of Southeastern New Mexico, this species and its remains are the last major grouping of the Pleurocoelus, are indigenous to Texas, and are world famous; and

WHEREAS, The important locality referred to as the Jones site excavation of the Pleurocoelus is the biggest dinosaur project undertaken in the State of Texas led by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History; and

WHEREAS, These discoveries combined with the leadership of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History in the field of dinosaur research make the Pleurocoelus an ideal candidate to be the Lone Star State Dinosaur; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby name the Brachiosaur Sauropod, Pleurocoelus, the official Lone Star State Dinosaur.