Genus: Dakotaseps NYDAM, 2014
Etymology: In reference to the Dakota Formation, and the Greek, sepos, "lizard"
= Dakotasaurus NYDAM, 2013 non BRANSON & MEHL, 1932 (Dakotasaurus browni, Dinosaur track)

Etymology: In reference to the Dakota Formation, and the Greek, sauros, "lizard"; in recognition of the rock unit from which the type and only known species has been recorvered.

Note: The Dakota Formation stretches from the Albian-Cenomanian, and has been distributed across a wide area of the united states; South and North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Meek and Hayden (1861) first called it the Dakota Group, and not the Dakota Formation. Carpenter (2014) redefined the Dakota Formation as just belonging to the predominately sandstone of basal Cretaceous starta along the eastern Missouri River. During the deposition of the ‘Dakota Formation’ the United States was bisected by the Western Interior Seaway, therefore the terrestrial ‘Dakota Formation’ can not be attributed to both sides of the Seaway. He suggests the western part of the Dakota Formation should be renamed the Naturita Formation.

Species: gillettorum (NYDAM, 2013) NYDAM, 2014
= Dakotasaurus gillettorum NYDAM, 2013

Etymology: In honor of David Gillette and Janet Whitmore-Gillett of the MNA who have supported, encouraged, and contributed much to paleonological research of the Colorado Plateau.
= Dakotasaurus gilletorum NYDAM, 2014 (sic)
= Dakotaseps gilletorum NYDAM, 2014 (sic)

Holotype: MNA V9110

Locality: OMNH V 808/MNA 1067/UMNH VP27, Kaiparowits Plateau, Kane County, Southern Utah.

Horizon: Middle Member, Naturita Formation (Dakota Formation).

Biostratigraphy:

Age: Late Cenomanian Stage, Gallic Subepoch, Lower Gulf Epoch, Late Cretaceous.

Material: A partial right mandible preserving the posterior half of the dentary with 8 preserved tooth spaces, 7 in situ teeth, and a fused splenial.

Referred material:

MNA V10374: A partial left mandible preserving much of the dentary, 11 tooth spaces, 7 in situ teeth, adn a fused splenial.