In 1886, Cope erected the new genus "Naosaurus" "ship lizard" (from Greek "naos" "ship") for skeletal remains similar to those of the long-spined "Dimetrodon", but with distinctive "transverse processes or branches, which resemble the yardarms of a ship's mast". He speculated that "the yardarms were connected by membranes with the neural spine or mast, thus serving the animal as a sail with which he navigated the waters of the Permian lakes". He recognized three species: "Naosaurus claviger" "club-bearer" (for the projections on its spines; now considered a synonym of "Edaphosaurus pogonias"); "Naosaurus cruciger" "cross-bearer" (for the projections on its spines; first described by Cope as "Dimetrodon cruciger" in 1878; now "Edaphosaurus cruciger", the largest species in size); and "Naosaurus microdus" "small tooth" (first described as "Edaphosaurus microdus" in 1884). Cope noted some incomplete skull material found associated with the specimens of "N. claviger" and "N. microdus", but thought "Naosaurus" was distinct from "Edaphosaurus". He later decided that "Naosaurus" must have had a large carnivorous skull similar to "Dimetrodon", although he had no direct fossil proof. In 1910, German paleontologist Otto Jaekel reported remains near Dresden in Saxony, which he called "Naosaurus credneri".