Poekilopleuron bucklandii Eudes-Deslongchamps, 1838

Rauhut, Oliver W. M., 2003, The interrelationships and evolution of basal theropod dinosaurs, Special papers in palaeontology 69, pp. 1-213 : 21

Poekilopleuron bucklandii Eudes-Deslongchamps, 1838

Age . Bathonian.

Occurrence. Calcaire de Caen, Calvados, France.

Diagnosis. Radius with elongated medial process on the midshaft; metacarpal I with small lateral flange behind distal articular facet.

Remarks. Poekilopleuron was the first theropod that was described on the basis of associated material, although much of the skeleton had unfortunately been destroyed by erosion prior to collection (Eudes-Deslongchamps 1838). The species is based on a partial postcranial skeleton, including caudal vertebrae, ribs, and limb elements. All of the material was destroyed in an allied air raid on Caen in 1944.

Huene (1926 a, 1932) argued that both the manus and the pes of Poekilopleuron retained five digits (as also shown in Eudes-Deslongchamps’ reconstruction of the manus; 1838, pl. 7, fig. 27). Unfortunately, the element that Huene considered to be a fifth metacarpal has never been figured nor described in detail, and is now lost, as is the rest of the material. However, the fact that no known theropod retains a fifth digit makes me doubt this interpretation. The same applies to the pes.