Dakotaseps gen. nov., a replacement name for the lizard genus Dakotasaurus Nydam 2013, a junior homonym of the ichnotaxon Dakotasaurus Branson and Mehl 1932.

Dakotasaurus gilletorum Nydam 2013 was erected for two partial mandibles of a paramacellodid-cordylid grade scincomorphan lizard from the early Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) of southern Utah (Nydam 2013). However, the genus name Dakotasaurus is a junior homonym of the ichnofossil Dakotasaurus Branson and Mehl 1932. Under Article 23.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999) Branson and Mehl’s (1932) name has priority. There is no synonym available as a replacement name of the junior homonym as applied to the fossil lizard so in conjunction with ICZN Articles 57 and 60 I propose as a replacement the name Dakotaseps gen. nov. (from “Dakota” in reference to the Dakota Formation and from the Greek “sepos”, meaning lizard); type species—D. gilletorum Nydam 2013. This name perpetuates the original intent of Nydam (2013) to identify this taxon with the geological formation from which it is known.