page_title: Timeline of tyrannosaur research
section_title: 1870s
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of tyrannosaur research / 19th century / 1870s
caption_attribution_description: Vertebral centrum of Manospondylus gigas Cope, type, Amer. Mus. Cope Coll. 3982' One-fourth natural size. After Hatcher, 1907.
context_page_description: This timeline of tyrannosaur research is a chronological listing of events in the history of paleontology focused on the tyrannosaurs, a group of predatory theropod dinosaurs that began as small, long-armed bird-like creatures with elaborate cranial ornamentation but achieved apex predator status during the Late Cretaceous as their arms shrank and body size expanded. Although formally trained scientists did not begin to study tyrannosaur fossils until the mid-19th century, these remains may have been discovered by Native Americans and interpreted through a mythological lens. The Montana Crow tradition about thunder birds with two claws on their feet may have been inspired by isolated tyrannosaurid forelimbs found locally. Other legends possibly inspired by tyrannosaur remains include Cheyenne stories about a mythical creature called the Ahke, and Delaware stories about smoking the bones of ancient monsters to have wishes granted.
  Tyrannosaur remains were among the first dinosaur fossils collected in the United States. The first of these was named Deinodon horridus by Joseph Leidy. However, as this species was based only on teeth the name would fall into disuse.
context_section_description: 1876
  Cope described the new species Laelaps incrassatus and Laelaps falculus. He also described Aublysodon lateralis.
  Cope described the new species Laelaps hazenianus.
  1877
  Othniel Charles Marsh described the new genus Dryptosaurus to house the species Laelaps aquilunguis.
caption: Illustration of the type specimen (AMNH 3982) of Manospondylus gigas
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