// public methods
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the actual type of an object by reading the discriminator from a BsonReader.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="bsonReader">The reader.</param>
        /// <param name="nominalType">The nominal type.</param>
        /// <returns>The actual type.</returns>
        public Type GetActualType(IBsonReader bsonReader, Type nominalType)
        {
            // the BsonReader is sitting at the value whose actual type needs to be found
            var bsonType = bsonReader.GetCurrentBsonType();

            if (bsonType == BsonType.Document)
            {
                // ensure KnownTypes of nominalType are registered (so IsTypeDiscriminated returns correct answer)
                BsonSerializer.EnsureKnownTypesAreRegistered(nominalType);

                // we can skip looking for a discriminator if nominalType has no discriminated sub types
                if (BsonSerializer.IsTypeDiscriminated(nominalType))
                {
                    var bookmark = bsonReader.GetBookmark();
                    bsonReader.ReadStartDocument();
                    var actualType = nominalType;
                    if (bsonReader.FindElement(_elementName))
                    {
                        var context       = BsonDeserializationContext.CreateRoot <BsonValue>(bsonReader);
                        var discriminator = BsonValueSerializer.Instance.Deserialize(context);
                        if (discriminator.IsBsonArray)
                        {
                            discriminator = discriminator.AsBsonArray.Last(); // last item is leaf class discriminator
                        }
                        actualType = BsonSerializer.LookupActualType(nominalType, discriminator);
                    }
                    bsonReader.ReturnToBookmark(bookmark);
                    return(actualType);
                }
            }

            return(nominalType);
        }
        // public methods
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the actual type of an object by reading the discriminator from a BsonReader.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="bsonReader">The reader.</param>
        /// <param name="nominalType">The nominal type.</param>
        /// <returns>The actual type.</returns>
        public Type GetActualType(BsonReader bsonReader, Type nominalType)
        {
            // the BsonReader is sitting at the value whose actual type needs to be found
            var bsonType = bsonReader.GetCurrentBsonType();

            if (bsonReader.State == BsonReaderState.Value)
            {
                Type primitiveType = null;
                switch (bsonType)
                {
                case BsonType.Boolean: primitiveType = typeof(bool); break;

                case BsonType.Binary:
                    var bookmark   = bsonReader.GetBookmark();
                    var binaryData = bsonReader.ReadBinaryData();
                    var subType    = binaryData.SubType;
                    if (subType == BsonBinarySubType.UuidStandard || subType == BsonBinarySubType.UuidLegacy)
                    {
                        primitiveType = typeof(Guid);
                    }
                    bsonReader.ReturnToBookmark(bookmark);
                    break;

                case BsonType.DateTime: primitiveType = typeof(DateTime); break;

                case BsonType.Double: primitiveType = typeof(double); break;

                case BsonType.Int32: primitiveType = typeof(int); break;

                case BsonType.Int64: primitiveType = typeof(long); break;

                case BsonType.ObjectId: primitiveType = typeof(ObjectId); break;

                case BsonType.String: primitiveType = typeof(string); break;
                }

                // Type.IsAssignableFrom is extremely expensive, always perform a direct type check before calling Type.IsAssignableFrom
                if (primitiveType != null && (primitiveType == nominalType || nominalType.IsAssignableFrom(primitiveType)))
                {
                    return(primitiveType);
                }
            }

            if (bsonType == BsonType.Document)
            {
                // ensure KnownTypes of nominalType are registered (so IsTypeDiscriminated returns correct answer)
                BsonSerializer.EnsureKnownTypesAreRegistered(nominalType);

                // we can skip looking for a discriminator if nominalType has no discriminated sub types
                if (BsonSerializer.IsTypeDiscriminated(nominalType))
                {
                    var bookmark = bsonReader.GetBookmark();
                    bsonReader.ReadStartDocument();
                    var actualType = nominalType;
                    if (bsonReader.FindElement(_elementName))
                    {
                        var discriminator = (BsonValue)BsonValueSerializer.Instance.Deserialize(bsonReader, typeof(BsonValue), null);
                        if (discriminator.IsBsonArray)
                        {
                            discriminator = discriminator.AsBsonArray.Last(); // last item is leaf class discriminator
                        }
                        actualType = BsonSerializer.LookupActualType(nominalType, discriminator);
                    }
                    bsonReader.ReturnToBookmark(bookmark);
                    return(actualType);
                }
            }

            return(nominalType);
        }