New Lower Cretaceous Theropods Announced

A team of palaeontologists and researchers have announced the discovery of a number new meat-eating dinosaurs that roamed the Early Cretaceous in what was to become Utah’s Arches National Park.  The three new dinosaurs, include a new raptor (dromaeosaur) that has been scientifically described as a basal dromaeosaur, perhaps an ancestor of Utahraptor, the largest dromaeosaur discovered so far.  This new raptor has been formally named Yurgovuchia doellingi.  Scientists have speculated that there may be as many six new species of dinosaur described from this rich fossil bed, which is part of the Cedar Mountain Formation.

State palaeontologist for Utah’s Geological Survey, Jim Kirkland stated:

“All we are finding are new species.  I think there are places where what we are seeing is evolving populations.”

The State of Utah in western North America (United States), is one of the best locations to find Mesozoic-aged vertebrate fossils in the Americas.  The state has already got a number of unique dinosaur genera associated with it.  The three new dromaeosaurid specimens, including the newly named Y. doellingi are associated with the Yellow Cat Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation.  Specifically, Y. doellingi and one other specimen are associated with the earlier strata, known as the Lower Yellow Cat, whilst a beautifully preserved fossilised dromaeosaur tail, which also may represent a new genus or raptor is associated with the Upper Yellow Cat.

Dromaeosaur Dinosaur Discoveries

The fossil site, described as “one of the richest in the entire United States”, is helping palaeontologists to piece together the diverse dinosaur fauna that inhabited this part of the world during the Early Cretaceous.

A Scale Drawing of Yurgovuchia doellingi showing Fossil Bones Found

Lion-sized dromaeosaur from the Early Cretaceous.

Picture credit: PLoS One/Senter et al.

The new dinosaur is believed to be an ancestral relative of the much larger Utahraptor, based on similarities in pieces of fossilized vertebrae recovered.  In both species, the bundles of rods that jut out from the vertebrae to form the raptor’s tail are shortened, the State geologist commented.  Although only fragmentary remains have been found so far, the bones are sufficiently different from other dromaeosaurs to be described as a new genus.  The cat in the drawing gives a scale for Y. doellingi.  This dinosaur was about the size of a mountain lion, and it would have been a formidable predator, especially if it was a pack hunter.

The Ute Indian Word for Coyote

The new dinosaur’s name was based on the Ute Indian word for coyote, “yurgovuch,” and for the location where it was found, itself named after Utah palaeontologist Helmut Doelling, whose geological mapping of the Arches region in this part of Utah led to the discovery of this extensive bone bed.

A Model of the Largest Dromaeosaur Known to Science – Utahraptor

Speedy, dinosaur hunters.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

To view models of dinosaurs including “raptor” figures: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models and Figures.

Dromaeosaurs were light, agile predators with a raised second toe on each foot that had a large , sickle-like claw, described as a “killing claw”.

Field workers first came across the fossils that make up the Yurgovuchia doellingi specimen back in 2005 when exploring the fossil bone bed.

A scientific paper which describes this new Utah discovery, a collaboration between Utah Geological Survey palaeontologists and dromaeosaurid expert Phil Senter of the University of North Carolina, was published this week in the scientific journal known as the Public Library of Science (PLoS One).

The two other sets of fossilised bones attributed to dromaeosaurs are most probably from new species as well.  One of the fossils is that of a broken but distinctive skeleton of a raptor’s tail.  Scientists used ultra violet light to scan the fossil matrix in the laboratory so that the bone material could be picked out more clearly.

The Fossilised Dinosaur Tail (Fossil Material and UV Scan)

UV light highlights dinosaur tail fossil.

Picture credit: PLoS One/Senter et al.

Both the fossilised tail and the other dromaeosaur material needs more study and the Utah Geological Survey plans additional excavation work.

Palaeontologists and field workers had also identified the partial remains of a sauropod dinosaur (long-necked dinosaur) at the same location.  This too, may represent a new species, providing scientists with an intriguing insight into the fauna of the Early Cretaceous.

The scientific paper: “New Dromaeosaurids (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Lower Cretaceous of Utah, and the Evolution of the Dromaeosaurid Tail” by Phil Senter, James I. Kirkland, Donald D. De Blieux, Scott Madsen and Natalie Toth published in PLoS One.

Fossil Skeleton of Cretaceous Predator Likely to Fetch 1 Million USD at Auction

The trend for important scientific specimens to go under the hammer continues with the auction of a nearly complete tyrannosaur (T. bataar) in New York.   A Tarbosaurus dinosaur skeleton will be sold to the highest bidder.  The eight-metre-long, fully mounted specimen of this Late Cretaceous terror is likely to sell for more than one million USD at auction.  This may be a far cry from the huge sums paid in the mid 1990s prior to the global downturn, but it still puts such a specimen beyond the reach of most public institutions with their restricted budgets.

Tarbosaurus Dinosaur Skeleton

The specimen represents a seventy-five percent complete skeleton of a Tarbosaurus (T. bataar), closely related to the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex.  Whilst T. rex stomped across western North America, Tarbosaurus was the apex predator in eastern Asia – Mongolia.

The first fossils of this meat-eating dinosaur, consisting of skull material and some back-bones were unearthed by a joint Soviet/Mongolian scientific expedition to the Gobi desert in 1946, but it was not until 1955 that this dinosaur was formally named and described.  The eminent Russian palaeontologist Evgeny Aleksandrovich Maleev noted how similar these fossils were to Tyrannosaurus rex from North America and accordingly he named this new dinosaur Tyrannosaurus bataar.  However, in the mid 1960s a review of tyrannosaur skull material and body fossils from Mongolia and China was undertaken and in the light of this new study the name Tarbosaurus bataar was established.  The exact taxonomic relationship between these two prehistoric animals is hotly debated, but team members at Everything Dinosaur note that in official press releases and auction notices the lot is described as Tyrannosaurus bataar.  We suspect this is a bid to raise the potential price for this particular fossil specimen.  After all, T. rex is likely to sell much better than the lesser known Tarbosaurus bataar.

The Auction Date

The auction is scheduled for Sunday May 20th and it will be held at the New York auction company, Heritage Auctions.

The Mounted Tarbosaurus Skeleton under the Hammer

Dinosaur under the hammer.

Picture credit: Heritage Auctions

There have been a number of high profile dinosaur and other prehistoric animal auctions held over the last few years.  The price of dinosaur fossils have rocketed as wealthy individuals, even some film stars have become involved, keen to purchase their very own piece of palaeontology.  However, not all the auction lots get snapped up faster than a T. rex biting into a Triceratops.

Tyrannosaurus rex Under the Hammer

Back in 2009, a large, nearly complete of an adult Tyrannosaurus rex went under the hammer.  The mounted skeleton, nicknamed “Samson” at first could not find a buyer, but eventually the story ended happily when this particular predator was purchased by a public body and the skeleton is now on permanent public display.

To read more about “Samson”: T. rex Specimen up for Auction.

The Tarbosaurus, once the property of a private collector based in the UK, is certainly a fine specimen and it has been mounted in what we at Everything Dinosaur call an “active mount”, with the carnivore posed in a realistic running position.

David Herskowitz, Heritage Auction’s Director of Natural History wrote in a statement:

“This beautiful Tyrannosaurus skeleton is one of the most complete, most spectacular specimens that we’ve ever seen.  They’re incredibly rare to come across in any condition, let alone one as pristine as this.”

The exhibit measures nearly 8 metres long and represents a sub-adult specimen.  Palaeontologists believe that this Late Cretaceous carnivore could have reached lengths in excess of 12 metres.  The specimen is believed to have come from the Gobi desert region, although the exact location and provenance of the fossil material is not known.  The British collector began assembling the fossils, before shipping them to the United States for final preparation and mounting.

The auction house has expressed a wish to have the specimen retained for scientific study and public display.  However, with a sale such as this, it is just as likely that the exhibit will end up in the collection of a private individual with no desire to allow public or scientific access.

The Auction House Director commented:

“We’re hoping it’s going to be a museum to give this specimen a proper home.”

We shall have to wait and see, but with an auction price likely to be in excess of $1 million USD, it is very probable  that this fossil collection will prove to be beyond the budget of most public institutions.

This article represents a personal landmark for Everything Dinosaur. It is the 1800th article published on our web log, roll on number 2,000.

To view replicas of tyrannosaurids and other prehistoric animals: PNSO Age of Dinosaurs Figures and Models.