| Critique |
As Amphisaurus was preoccupied, Marsh (1885) replaced the genus and monotypic Amphisauridae with Anchisaurus and Anchisauridae, respectively. Included genera have varied. Steel (1970) included Anchisaurus, Thecodontosaurus, and Massospondylus, whereas Galton (1990) includes only Anchisaurus polyzelus. Galton and Upchurch (2004) include Anchisaurus and Ammosaurus in this taxon.
Sereno (1999) regarded the holotypic specimen of Anchisaurus polyzelus as undiagnostic and the referred material as indistinguishable from Ammosaurus major, both of which undermine use of the family Anchisauridae. Yates (2005) and Fedak (2005), in contrast, regarded Ammosaurus major as the junior synonym, but have yet to make a strong case for the diagnostic status of the holotype of Anchisaurus polyzelus. The lenghtened, tongue-shaped preacetabular process of the ilium appears to be the most diagnostic feature of these specimens and is present among holotypic specimens only in that pertaining to Ammosaurus major (Marsh 1891).
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