Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories

Fossil finds, new dinosaur discoveries, news and views from the world of palaeontology and other Earth sciences.

5 07, 2024

New Basal Tetrapod Honours Jenny Clack

By Mike|2024-07-07T11:30:43+01:00July 5th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

The largest stem tetrapod known to have digits has been scientifically described. Named Gaiasia jennyae it lurked in the chilly waters of a Namibian swamp around 280 million years ago (Cisuralian Epoch of the Early Permian). Its discovery indicates a more global distribution of continental stem tetrapods during the Carboniferous-Permian transition. Although no complete skeleton is known, G. jennyae was probably more than two metres in length. The skull measures around sixty centimetres long. It was probably an ambush predator, relying on suction capture to grab and swallow any prey item unfortunate to swim too close. Once in the mouth, there was no escape as the jaws were lined with large fangs.

Gaiasia jennyae life reconstruction. A newly described stem tetrapod from a high palaeolatitude (approximately fifty-five degrees south). Picture credit: Gabriel Lio.

Picture credit: Gabriel Lio

Gaiasia jennyae Honouring the Late Professor Jenny Clack

Writing in the journal “Nature”, the scientists describe Gaiasia as a stem tetrapod, one from a high palaeolatitude (approximately fifty-five degrees south). This is a significant fossil discovery, most other stem tetrapods from the Early Permian are known from palaeoequatorial regions. The genus name is derived from the Gai-As Formation of Namibia. The species name honours the late Professor Jenny Clack (1947–2020), in recognition for her ground-breaking work studying early tetrapods.

Tetrapods are four-limbed vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds), that evolved from lobe finned fishes (Sarcopterygii).

To read an article from 2013, highlighting the work of Professor Jenny Clack on Ichthyostega: Ichthyostega Gets a Makeover.

Co-lead author of the study, Jason Pardo (NSF postdoctoral fellow at the Field Museum in Chicago) commented:

“Gaiasia jennyae was considerably larger than a person, and it probably hung out near the bottom of swamps and lakes. It’s got a big, flat, toilet seat shaped head, which allows it to open its mouth and suck in prey. It has these huge fangs, the whole front of the mouth is just giant teeth. It’s a big predator, but potentially also a relatively slow ambush predator.”

A photograph of some of the prepared Gaiasia jennyae fossil material. Picture credit C. Marsicano

Picture credit: C. Marsicano.

Interlocking Large Fangs

The presence of such a large predator in the environment indicates that there was a rich and diverse ecosystem present. Palaeontologists are aware that in the equatorial regions of Pangaea new four-limbed vertebrates (Tetrapodomorpha) were evolving. However, in higher palaeolatitudes more ancient creatures persisted.

Co-lead author of the research Claudia Marsicano (University of Buenos Aires) explained:

“When we found this enormous specimen just lying on the outcrop as a giant concretion, it was really shocking. I knew just from seeing it that it was something completely different. We were all very excited. After examining the skull, the structure of the front of the skull caught my attention. It was the only clearly visible part at that time, and it showed very unusually interlocking large fangs, creating a unique bite for early tetrapods.”

Several specimens were discovered, including one with a well-preserved, articulated skull and spine. Although there might be a bias in fossil preservation, the number of individuals found suggests that Gaiasia jennyae was relatively common in the ancient Namibian cold-water swamp habitat.

Gaiasia jennyae fossil excavation in the Namibian desert. Claudia Marsicano examining nodules containing fossil bones. Picture credit: Roger M. H. Smith.

Picture credit: Roger M. H. Smith

Applying Bergmann’s Rule

With several specimens to study, the team were able to conduct an in-depth phylogenetic analysis. The analysis indicates that Gaiasia might be related to other early tetrapods that became extinct around forty million years earlier. This suggests that in highly palaeolatitudes “relic” taxa could still be found.

Namibia today, is located much further north than it was approximately 280 million years ago. During the Cisuralian Epoch of the Early Permian, this area was a cold-water swamp. At this time in Earth’s history, a global Ice Age was drawing to a close. Equatorial regions were drying up and becoming more forested, but closer to the poles, swampy habitats persisted, potentially alongside patches of ice and glaciers.

The Biggest Suction-feeding Tetrapod from the Palaeozoic

As the largest Palaeozoic suction-feeding tetrapod known to science, it is also possible that Gaiasia may reflect thermophysiological constraints associated with cold-temperate climates in alignment with Bergmann’s rule. Bergmann’s rule states that organisms in cold environments tend to be larger than their counterparts in warmer regions. Larger organisms tend to be better at conserving heat.

Jason Pardo stated:

“Gaiasia is a stem tetrapod. It is a holdover from that earlier group, before they evolved and split into the groups that would become mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, which are called crown tetrapods. It’s really, really surprising that Gaiasia is so archaic. It was related to organisms that went extinct probably 40 million years prior.”

Intriguingly, for a relic of an older lineage, Gaiasia is doing more than just holding its own.

Pardo added:

“There are some other more archaic animals still hanging on 300 million years ago, but they were rare, they were small, and they were doing their own thing. Gaiasia is big, and it is abundant, and it seems to be the primary predator in its ecosystem.”

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Field Museum in Chicago in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Giant stem tetrapod was apex predator in Gondwanan late Palaeozoic ice age” by Claudia A. Marsicano, Jason D. Pardo, Roger M. H. Smith, Adriana C. Mancuso, Leandro C. Gaetano and Helke Mocke published in Nature.

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Prehistoric Animal Models.

27 06, 2024

Lokiceratops rangiformis a New Horned Dinosaur from Montana

By Mike|2024-06-30T16:58:13+01:00June 27th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories|0 Comments

A remarkable new taxon of ceratopsian has been described from northern Montana. This new horned dinosaur, a centrosaurine, has been named Lokiceratops rangiformis. The authors of the scientific paper, published in the journal PeerJ, suggest that the large number of similar taxa identified from this region suggests that dinosaur diversity has been underestimated. In addition, mounting evidence indicates dinosaurs were living and evolving in a small geographic area (high endemism). This high endemism identified in centrosaurines contrasts with the extensive (historic) ranges seen in most large mammals today.

Lokiceratops rangiformis life reconstruction by Andrey Atuchin.

Reconstruction of Lokiceratops surprised by a crocodilian in the 78-million-year-old swamps of northern Montana, USA. Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin for the Museum of Evolution in Maribo, Denmark.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin.

Lokiceratops rangiformis

The fossils were collected from the lower portion of the McClelland Ferry Member of the Judith River Formation in the Kennedy Coulee region close to the Canadian border. The fossil material consists of most of the skull, although the lower jaws were not found. Postcranial material includes the right scapula and coracoid plus some vertebrae and elements from the hips.

Lokiceratops is one of the largest centrosaurines known to science. It had an estimated body length of around 6.7 metres and is thought to have weighed 5 tonnes. As well as being one of the largest members of the Centrosaurinae described to date, it is also one of the most ornate. Lokiceratops possessed two, huge blade-like horns on the back of its frill (epiparietal 2). The super-sized epiparietal 2 horns are relatively larger than any other parietal epiossification within the Centrosaurinae.

Lokiceratops had two large brow horns, but unlike most of its close relatives it lacked a nose horn. The frill ornamentations of Lokiceratops demonstrate bilateral asymmetry. There is considerable variation in the shape of the seven epiparietals on the left and right sides of the frill.

The stunning frill and horns of Lokiceratops rangiformis. Picture credit: Fabrizio Lavezzi © Evolutionsmuseet, Knuthenborg.

Picture credit: Fabrizio Lavezzi © Evolutionsmuseet, Knuthenborg.

What’s in a Name?

The bilateral asymmetry gave rise to the species name. The genus is named after the blade-wielding Norse god Loki, a god that causes chaos and mischief in Norse mythology. The genus name translates as “Loki’s horned face”. Whereas the species epithet comes from the reindeer/caribou genus Rangifer. This is a reference to the differing horn lengths on each side of the frill, similar to the asymmetric antlers of caribou and reindeer.

Co-author of the study Joseph Sertich, a palaeontologist with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University stated:

“This new dinosaur pushes the envelope on bizarre ceratopsian headgear, sporting the largest frill horns ever seen in a ceratopsian. These skull ornaments are one of the keys to unlocking horned dinosaur diversity and demonstrate that evolutionary selection for showy displays contributed to the dizzying richness of Cretaceous ecosystems.”

Portrait of Lokiceratops rangiformis by Andrey Atuchin.

Portrait reconstruction of Lokiceratops rangiformis. Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin for the Museum of Evolution in Maribo, Denmark.

Picture credit: Andrey Atuchin

High Endemism in Centrosaurines

Lokiceratops rangiformis fossils come from the same narrow stratigraphic interval and geographic area as three other centrosaurines (Wendiceratops pinhornensis, Albertaceratops nesmoi, and Medusaceratops lokii) and one chasmosaurine (Judiceratops tigris). Phylogenetic analysis indicates that Lokiceratops is closely related to Wendiceratops and Albertaceratops. Indeed, it has been placed in the tribe Albertaceratopsini along with Albertaceratops and Medusaceratops.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post from 2010 about the scientific description of Medusaceratops lokii: A New Horned Dinosaur from Montana.

The research team concludes that the Albertaceratopsini, was one of multiple centrosaurine clades to undergo geographically restricted radiations, with Nasutuceratopsini restricted to the south and Centrosaurini and Pachyrostra restricted to the north.

Whilst ceratopsian ancestors were widespread across the Northern Hemisphere throughout the Cretaceous, their isolation on Laramidia led to the evolution of huge body sizes, and most characteristically, distinctive patterns of horns above their eyes and noses, on their cheeks and along the edges of their elongated head frills. Yet, based on current evidence and acknowledging uneven temporal and geographic sampling, all known centrosaurine species exhibit relatively small geographic ranges.

This pattern is seen not only in genera and species, but also above the species level. That is, centrosaurine subclades—including Albertaceratopsini—also show restricted geographic distributions. Fossils recovered from this region suggest horned dinosaurs were living and evolving in a small geographic area, a high level of endemism that implies dinosaur diversity is underestimated.

Co-author Mark Loewen (Natural History Museum of Utah) explained:

“Previously, palaeontologists thought a maximum of two species of horned dinosaurs could coexist at the same place and time. Incredibly, we have identified five living together at the same time. The skull of Lokiceratops rangiformis is dramatically different from the other four animals it lived alongside.”

Lokiceratops rangiformis life reconstruction Fabrizio Lavezzi.

Reconstruction of Lokiceratops in the 78-million-year-old swamps of northern Montana, USA as two Probrachylophosaurus move past in the background. Picture credit: Fabrizio Lavezzi © Evolutionsmuseet, Knuthenborg.

Picture credit: Fabrizio Lavezzi © Evolutionsmuseet, Knuthenborg.

Fossils Discovered in 2019

The fossils represent a mature, adult animal. The material is found in the late spring of 2019 by Mark Eatman on private land of the Wolery Ranch in Kennedy Coulee. It was excavated under a lease in the autumn. The holotype specimen number is EMK 0012. The individual fossilised skull bones of Lokiceratops were integrated into a state-of-the-art reconstruction of the complete skull and is permanently reposited and displayed at the Museum of Evolution in Maribo, Denmark. A reconstruction of the skull, alongside a full-sized sculpture, will be displayed at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City for the next few months.

Lokiceratops rangiformis lived around 78 million years ago (Campanian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous).

Andrew Farke from the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology and another co-author of the paper commented:

“We now recognise over thirty species of centrosaurines within the greater group of horned dinosaurs, with more like Lokiceratops being described every year”.

Ceratopsians were much more diverse than previously thought. This new research also demonstrates some groups such as the Albertaceratopsini had relatively small distributions across the island landmass of Laramidia. Centrosaurine dinosaurs demonstrate geographically restricted radiations. High speciation rates may have been driven in part by sexual selection or as a result of regional variations in climate or flora. The high endemism seen in centrosaurines and other dinosaurs implies that dinosaur diversity is presently underestimated and contrasts with the large (historic) geographic ranges seen in most extant mammalian megafauna.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Natural History Museum of Utah in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Lokiceratops rangiformis gen. et sp. nov. (Ceratopsidae: Centrosaurinae) from the Campanian Judith River Formation of Montana reveals rapid regional radiations and extreme endemism within centrosaurine dinosaurs” by Mark A. Loewen, Joseph J. W. Sertich, Scott Sampson, Jingmai K. O’Connor, Savhannah Carpenter, Brock Sisson, Anna Øhlenschlæger, Andrew A. Farke, Peter J. Makovicky, Nick Longrich and David C. Evans published in PeerJ.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Models and Toys.

21 06, 2024

New Study Suggests Protoceratops Fossils Did Not Inspire the Griffin Legend

By Mike|2024-06-24T06:32:58+01:00June 21st, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans|0 Comments

Newly published research suggests that Protoceratops fossils did not inspire the griffin from mythology. The study published in “Interdisciplinary Science Reviews” was conducted by Dr Mark Witton and Richard Hing, palaeontologists at the University of Portsmouth. The researchers have challenged the popular assumption that the half-animal, half-bird griffin was inspired by Protoceratops fossil material found by ancient nomads.

For centuries, academics have puzzled over where the griffin legend originated. This new study examined the fossil evidence and the influence of folklore upon palaeontology.

Protoceratops fossils probably did not inspire the griffin legend.

A painting of the mythological griffin. A chimaera which consisted off the head and wings of an eagle combined with the body of a big cat such as a lion. Protoceratops fossils can be seen in the foreground. A new study suggests that there is no compelling evidence to link dinosaur fossils with the legendary griffin. Picture credit: Mark P. Witton.

Protoceratops Fossils Did Not Give Rise to the Griffin Legend

The link between the fossils of the ceratopsian and griffin mythology was proposed around thirty years ago. The link is believed to have been popularised in papers and books written by the folklorist Adrienne Mayor. For example, a cryptozoology paper entitled “Paleocryptozoology: a call for collaboration between classicists and cryptozoologists” was published in 1989. The theory that Protoceratops fossils led to the idea of the mythological half-bird, half-beast creature was discussed again in the book “The First Fossil Hunters”. The ideas that dinosaur fossils found by people in Asia gave rise to the idea of a griffin became established and was mentioned in numerous books, documentaries and even museum exhibits.

A skeleton of a Protoceratops on display. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Two species of Protoceratops are currently recognised (P. andrewsi and P. hellenikorhinus). Fossils have been found in Mongolia and China. It had been suggested that Protoceratops fossil bones were found by nomads prospecting for gold in Central Asia. These stories travelled southwest on trade routes inspiring the mythical griffin.

The first depictions of what is thought to be a griffin can be found in Egyptian and Middle Eastern art around the 4th millennium BC. Depictions of the griffin became popular in ancient Greece during the 8th century BC.

The Protoceratops Genus

Protoceratops was a small herbivorous dinosaur, measuring around two to two and a half metres in length. It had a beak, a large skull and a broad head shield. Its fossils are relatively common in some parts of the Gobi Desert. Due to the relative abundance of fossil material including eggs, embryos, juveniles and mature adults, it is one of the most extensively studied of all the Dinosauria.

Like griffins, adult Protoceratops were quadrupedal, and the head shield could be interpreted as wings. However, in the first detailed study of its kind, the researchers found that the supposed link between Protoceratops and the griffin did not stand up to close scrutiny. For instance, the idea that Protoceratops remains were found by nomads prospecting for gold is thought to be unlikely.

Protoceratops fossil material is found hundreds of kilometres away from ancient gold sites. In the hundred years since the first Protoceratops fossils were found by western scientists, no gold has been reported from these areas. It also seems doubtful that the nomads would have seen much of the Protoceratops skeletons, even if they had stumbled upon them.

Dr Mark Witton explained:

“There is an assumption that dinosaur skeletons are discovered half-exposed, lying around almost like the remains of recently-deceased animals. But generally speaking, just a fraction of an eroding dinosaur skeleton will be visible to the naked eye, unnoticed to all except for sharp-eyed fossil hunters. That’s almost certainly how ancient peoples wandering around Mongolia encountered Protoceratops. If they wanted to see more, as they’d need to if they were forming myths about these animals, they’d have to extract the fossil from the surrounding rock.”

Dr Witton added:

“That is no small task, even with modern tools, glues, protective wrapping and preparatory techniques. It seems more probable that Protoceratops remains, by and large, went unnoticed — if the gold prospectors were even there to see them.”

Protoceratops skeleton compared to griffin art.

A Protoceratops skeleton compared to ancient griffin art. The griffins are all very obviously based on big cats, from their musculature and long, flexible tails to the manes (indicated by coiled “hair” on the neck), and birds, and differ from Protoceratops in virtually all measures of proportion and form. Image compiled from illustrations in Witton and Hing (2024); Protoceratops skeleton by and Mark P. Witton.

No Unambiguous Reference to Protoceratops Fossils in Ancient Literature

Furthermore, the geographic spread of griffin art through history does not align with the scenario of griffin folklore and legend beginning with strange bones found in Mongolia and China. There is no evidence to indicate that ideas about fossils from Asia spread into Africa, the Middle East or Europe. In addition, there are also no unambiguous references to Protoceratops fossils in ancient literature.

To read an article about the likely habitat of Protoceratops: Protoceratops was a Tough Dinosaur.

The researchers argue that Protoceratops is only griffin-like in being a four-limbed animal with a beak. There are no details in griffin art suggesting that dinosaur fossils were referenced. There is evidence to suggest that extant cats and birds were referenced.

Dr Witton stated:

“Everything about griffin origins is consistent with their traditional interpretation as imaginary beasts, just as their appearance is entirely explained by them being chimaeras of big cats and raptorial birds. Invoking a role for dinosaurs in griffin lore, especially species from distant lands like Protoceratops, not only introduces unnecessary complexity and inconsistencies to their origins, but also relies on interpretations and proposals that don’t withstand scrutiny.”

Fossils are Culturally Important

The scientists are keen to emphasise that there is strong evidence to suggest that fossils have been culturally important throughout human history. There are innumerable instances of fossils inspiring folklore around the world. These instances are known as “geomyths”. For example, the guards from belemnites were once thought to be the remains of lightning bolts.

Some belemnite guard fossils, the coin shows scale.

Belemnite guard fossils from the “Jurassic Coast”. These common fossils were once thought to represent the remains of lightning bolts. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Co-author of the study Richard Hing commented:

“It is important to distinguish between fossil folklore with a factual basis, that is, connections between fossils and myth evidenced by archaeological discoveries or compelling references in literature and artwork — and speculated connections based on intuition.”

Richard Hing went onto add:

“There is nothing inherently wrong with the idea that ancient peoples found dinosaur bones and incorporated them into their mythology, but we need to root such proposals in realities of history, geography and palaeontology. Otherwise, they are just speculation.”

Dr Witton summarised the study. He explained that not all mythological creatures demand an explanation from the fossil record. Dinosaurs are thought to have given rise to dragon myths. Fossil elephants may have led to the myth of the one-eyed cyclops. Protoceratops fossils leading to the imagining of a griffin, these are all popular geomyths. However, there is very little evidence to support these links, and what there is, is speculative.

These stories are promoted as they seem intuitively plausible. However, by doing so we ignore the growing knowledge of fossil geomyths grounded in fact and evidence. Geomyths with evidence deserve more attention.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of the University of Portsmouth in the compilation of this article.

The study is published in Interdisciplinary Science Reviews.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Toys and Models.

17 06, 2024

A New Unenlagiine Taxon from the Upper Cretaceous

By Mike|2024-06-19T15:42:46+01:00June 17th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles|0 Comments

Scientists have described a new unenlagiine theropod taxon from Argentina. The new dinosaur has been named Diuqin lechiguanae. Its fossils come from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation of the Neuquén Basin of Neuquén Province in northern Patagonia. Diuqin lechiguanae has been described from fragmentary postcranial remains. A broken tooth tentatively assigned to a megaraptor was found in close proximity to the specimen. The left humerus (upper arm bone) has two, distinct puncture marks. These marks have been interpreted as possible evidence of predation or post-mortem feeding traces on the Diuqin carcase.

Diuqin lechiguanae life reconstruction. Picture credit: Hannah Jones and Andrew McAfee.

Diuqin lechiguanae

This carnivorous theropod measured around 2.5 to 3 metres in length. The researchers identified a suite of unique anatomical characters. This enabled them to confidently erect a new taxon. Diuqin lechiguanae had hollow bones, and probably a long snout and jaws lined with short, but sharp teeth.

The genus name is derived from the language of the indigenous Mapuce people. It translates as “bird of prey”. The species name comes from “Lechiguana”, a witch in the 1975 horror film “Nazareno Cruz y el Lobo”. This film was directed by the eminent Argentinian filmmaker Leonardo Favio. The binomial scientific name translates as “Lechiguana’s bird of prey”.

D. lechiguanae is the first unenlagiine to be described from fossils associated with the Bajo de la Carpa Formation. It lived around 85 million years ago (Santonian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous). As such, it helps to plug a gap of several million years in the unenlagiine fossil record. This new dinosaur provides a fresh perspective on the evolution of theropods towards the origin of today’s birds.

The Unenlagiinae Subfamily

The Unenlagiinae are an enigmatic subfamily of theropod dinosaurs closely related to birds. Most palaeontologists consider them to be a subfamily of the Dromaeosauridae. However, their taxonomy remains controversial and more fossil discoveries may challenge this view. For example, a revision based on a more complete phylogenetic analysis could lead to their separation from the dromaeosaurids and the establishment of the family Unenlagiidae.

The oldest known unenlagiine described to date is Buitreraptor gonzalezorum. Buitreraptor was named and described in 2005. Four fossil specimens of B. gonzalezorum were excavated from deposits associated with the Candeleros Formation (northern Patagonia). It is believed to have roamed Argentina approximately 98 million years ago (early Cenomanian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous). The geologically youngest unenlagiine is the six-metre-long Austroraptor cabazai which, like Buitreraptor is known from fossils found in the Neuquén Province of Argentina. Its fossils are associated with the Allen Formation. Austroraptor lived around seventy million years ago.

Beasts of the Mesozoic Buitreraptor model

A model of Buitreraptor gonzalezorum from the Beasts of the Mesozoic Wetlands Accessory Pack.

The model (above) is a representation of Buitreraptor gonzalezorum, the oldest unenlagiine theropod described to date. The figure is from the Beasts of the Mesozoic articulated models range.

To view the range of Beasts of the Mesozoic figures in stock: Beasts of the Mesozoic Figures.

The Unenlagiinae subfamily was erected in 1999 by the distinguished Argentinian palaeontologist José Bonaparte (1999). It consists of several genera of small to medium-sized theropods and for the time-being they are confined to the southern portion of the Gondwana landmass (Antarctica and South America). Their geographical and temporal distribution may change as fossil specimens from Europe, North America, Madagascar and Australia have been putatively assigned to the Unenlagiinae.

Diuqin lechiguanae and Other South American Theropods

Other dromaeosaurids from Neuquén Province include Pamparaptor micros, Unenlagia paynemili and Neuquenraptor argentinus. Both Unenlagia and Neuquenraptor are assigned to the Unenlagiinae, whilst the taxonomic placement of Pamparaptor as a member of the Unenlagiinae subfamily remains uncertain.

To read an article from 2021 about the discovery of an unenlagiine theropod from south-eastern Brazil (Ypupiara lopai): New Fish-eating Dinosaur from Brazil.

For an article describing a basal member of the Dromaeosauridae from Mongolia (Halszkaraptor escuilliei) that led to a revision of the Dromaeosauridae family: The Remarkable Halszkaraptor.

An article on the bizarre and possibly semi-aquatic Natovenator polydontus that illustrates the diversity of the Dromaeosauridae: New Research Suggests that Natovenator Hunted Fish.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of Dr Juan Porfiri (Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Buenos Aires) in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Diuqin lechiguanae gen. et sp. nov., a new unenlagiine (Theropoda: Paraves) from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Neuquén Group, Upper Cretaceous) of Neuquén Province, Patagonia, Argentina” by Juan D. Porfiri, Mattia A. Baiano, Domenica D. dos Santos, Federico A. Gianechini, Michael Pittman and Matthew C. Lamanna published in BMC Ecology and Evolution.

The award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur Models and Toys.

14 06, 2024

Douglassarachne acanthopoda a New Species of Carboniferous Arachnid

By Mike|2024-06-16T11:39:47+01:00June 14th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A new species of prehistoric arachnid has been named and described from the famous Mazon Creek fossil site in Illinois, USA. The new species has been named Douglassarachne acanthopoda. The fossils are believed to be around 308 million years old. D. acanthopoda is characterised by its remarkably robust and spiny legs. Its appearance is strikingly different from all other living or extinct arachnids. The preserved character combination examined by the researchers does not permit easy referral to any known arachnid, living or extinct. Thus, the new fossil in placed as Arachnida, in the clade Tetrapulmonata. The Tetrapulmonata consists of the whip scorpions and the true spiders.

Douglassarachne acanthopoda fossil. A bizarre, Late Carboniferous arachnid. Picture credit: Professor Paul Selden.

Picture credit: Professor Paul Selden

A Bizarre Arachnid with Spiny Legs – Douglassarachne acanthopoda

This new Carboniferous invertebrate has been described in a scientific paper published in the “Journal of Paleontology”. Researchers Jason Dunlop from the Museum of Natural History, Berlin and Paul Selden (University of Kansas/London Natural History Museum), wrote the paper.

During the Carboniferous, many different types of arachnids evolved. These included forms that we are familiar with today, such as the true spiders, harvestmen and scorpions. There were also many exotic animals that today are confined mainly to the tropics. Animals like the whip spiders and whip scorpions. The fossil record suggests that in the coal forests, true spiders were quite rare. Among these were primitive forms and other lineages that have no living descendants.

To read a recent article about the discovery of the oldest harvestmen from Germany: The Oldest Harvestmen from Germany are Scientifically Described

Preserved Inside a Clay-Ironstone Nodule

The Mazon Creek site is famous for its remarkable fossils. It preserves the flora and fauna of a Late Carboniferous tropical forest. The ecosystem was very different to modern ecosystems. The Douglassarachne acanthopoda specimen (number FMNH PE 91366), was discovered in the 1980s by Bob Masek in a clay-ironstone concretion. Bob deployed a common method for splitting the concretion. He placed the nodule outside immersed water throughout the winter. The cold and frost penetrated natural fissures in the concretion along the plane containing the fossil. After the weather had done its work, a blow from a geology hammer was enough to split the nodule and reveal the fossil.

The specimen was acquired by David Douglass and was displayed at the Douglass family’s Prehistoric Life Museum. The fossil was donated to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago in 2023 so it could be studied.

The body of the D. acanthopoda measures 15.4 mm in length. The extremely spiny legs probably evolved to deter predators. Whilst it might superficially resemble an extant harvestman or mite, it differs significantly from any extant harvestman or any other known arachnid group. Unfortunately, the mouthparts (chelicerae) are not preserved. This makes classification difficult. Douglassarachne has bene tentatively assigned to the Tetrapulmonata clade. This clade includes the true spiders, whip spiders and whip scorpions.

Diverse Arachnids

Whilst is it not possible to determine the exact evolutionary relationship of Douglassarachne acanthopoda, it is noted that during the Carboniferous a diverse variety of arachnids evolved. Some of these families later died out. Many forms became extinct during the so-called “Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse” when global climate change led to the decline of the coal forests.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “A remarkable spiny arachnid from the Pennsylvanian Mazon Creek Lagerstätte, Illinois” by Selden, P. A. and Dunlop, J.A. published in the Journal of Paleontology.

The website of Everything Dinosaur: Dinosaur Models and Toys.

7 06, 2024

The Oldest Harvestmen from Germany is Described in New Study

By Mike|2024-06-16T11:41:18+01:00June 7th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

The oldest harvestmen known from Germany have been described. This is the first formal description of fossil harvestmen from the Eocene. The newly described harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones), come from the famous Messel Pit fossil deposit. The fossils are believed to be around 47-48 million years old. Writing in the journal “Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments” the research team describe these arachnids as Leiobunum messelense sp. nov. and Leiobunum schaali sp. nov.

The research team concluded that these “daddy long legs” arachnids were iridescent. Iridescent harvestmen today are found in tropical rainforests. Their discovery in the Messel shale helps to support the theory that in the Eocene this was a subtropical or tropical forest habitat. In the past, tropical arachnids lived in Germany, perhaps they will again due to climate change.

An iridescent harvestman fossil from the Messel shales of Germany. Picture credit: Senckenberg.

Picture credit: Senckenberg

The Oldest Harvestmen

Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) are one of the most diverse lineages of arachnids, with more than 6,700 living species. From the fossil record, about sixty species are known, the oldest of which goes back more than 410 million years (Early Devonian). Arachnid fossils are rare. Most ancient harvestman species have been identified from remains preserved in amber.

To read an article about the discovery of a new species of harvestman from an amber nodule: Harvestman Preserved in Amber.

The Messel Pit near Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany is one of the most important fossil sites in Europe. Many spectacular vertebrate fossils have been found including bats, early horses, snakes and primates. Invertebrate fossils have been found too.

Part of the Messel gallery (Senckenberg Museum).

The atmospheric Messel gallery at the Senckenberg Museum (Frankfurt). Hundreds of specimens from the Messel Pit are on display. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Now the site has recorded fossils assigned to the Opiliones Order. The presence of a large plate covering part of the abdomen, enabled the research team to assign the fossils to a family called the Sclerosomatidae. This family of harvestmen is still found in the Northern Hemisphere today.

Iridescent Harvestmen

The fossils have a shiny, metallic appearance. It is likely that these animals were able to reflect light and had iridescent bodies. This has not been observed before in a fossil harvestman specimen. Iridescent harvestmen are found today, but most are confined to the tropical forests of southeastern Asia. The presence of iridescent harvestmen fits the consensus that the Messel Pit represents a former volcanic lake surround by a tropical forest.

During the Eocene, tropical arachnids lived in Germany. Intriguingly, an iridescent harvestman species has been reported in Germany. It is thought this species has taken advantage of climate change to move into Europe from its native Africa.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Iridescent harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae) from the Eocene of Messel, Germany” by Christian Bartel, Jason A. Dunlop and Sonja Wedmann published in Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments.

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6 06, 2024

A New, Giant Oxfordshire Pterosaur is Unearthed

By Mike|2024-06-10T14:14:18+01:00June 6th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A partial wing bone from a huge, Jurassic pterosaur has been unearthed south of Oxford. The Abingdon pterosaur discovery suggests that some Jurassic pterosaurs had wingspans in excess of three metres. The fossil bone (specimen number EC K2576) was found when strata representing the Upper Jurassic was exposed on the floor of a gravel quarry. The fossil bone is not complete. It consists of three pieces but from this single bone, a size of the overall wingspan can be estimated. The wing bone is believed to be around 148 million years old (Tithonian faunal stage of the Late Jurassic).

Left wing phalanx 1 of a pterodactyloid pterosaur from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The specimen number is EC K2576. Original specimen (A) and B, simplified interpretive drawing. Scale bar = 10 mm. Picture credit: University of Portsmouth.

The Abingdon Pterosaur Discovery

In the early summer of 2022, geologist Dr James Etienne came across the well-preserved specimen when exploring temporary exposures of the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. Numerous other fossils were found including ammonites and bivalves that acted as biostratigraphic markers, helping to confirm the edge of the deposits. In addition, fossils of sharks and a vertebra from a marine crocodile were found. Several bones from ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs were also identified.

Researchers from the universities of Portsmouth and Leicester collaborated with Dr Etienne and a scientific paper outlining this discovery has been published. The wing bone has been assigned to an adult ctenochasmatoid (Ctenochasmatoidea clade). This clade of pterosaurs was globally distributed. They tended to have slender wings, long hind legs, elongate and narrow jaws lined with bristle-like teeth. Their fossils are associated with aquatic environments. The three pieces of bone that have been found represent the first phalanx from the left wing.

A life reconstruction of the Abingdon pterosaur based on a typical ctenochasmatoid pterosaur. Picture credit: Hamzah Imran.

The picture (above) shows a life reconstruction of a typical ctenochasmatoid pterosaur. It was drawn by University of Portsmouth student Hamzah Imran.

Co-author of the scientific paper, Professor David Martill (University of Portsmouth), stated:

“When the bone was discovered, it was certainly notable for its size. We carried out a numerical analysis and came up with a maximum wingspan of 3.75 metres. Although this would be small for a Cretaceous pterosaur, it’s absolutely huge for a Jurassic one!”

The location of the Abingdon pterosaur fossil find.

Map showing locality of the newly discovered pterodactyloid pterosaur wing phalanx EC K2576 from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. Picture credit: University of Portsmouth.

Professor Martill added:

“This fossil is also particularly special because it is one of the first records of this type of pterosaur from the Jurassic period in the United Kingdom.”

The Size of Jurassic Pterosaurs

Whilst many of the Cretaceous pterosaurs were gigantic, most Jurassic and Triassic pterosaur genera were much smaller. Most early Mesozoic pterosaurs had wingspans of around one or two metres. However, this Abingdon pterosaur discovery, suggests that some Jurassic flying reptiles could grow much larger.

With an estimated wingspan of around 3.75 metres, this gives the Abingdon pterosaur a wingspan comparable to the largest living, volant birds. The pterosaur has not been formally named, but the researchers nicknamed the pterosaur “Abfab”.

Co-author of the paper, Dr Dave Unwin (University of Leicester), explained:

“Abfab, our nickname for the Abingdon pterosaur, shows that pterodactyloids, advanced pterosaurs that completely dominated the Cretaceous, achieved spectacularly large sizes almost immediately after they first appeared in the Middle Jurassic right about the time the dinosaurian ancestors of birds were taking to the air.”

A Reappraisal of the Size of Dearc sgiathanach

In early 2022, a paper was published (Jagielska et al) that described a large pterosaur from the Isle of Skye. This pterosaur was named Dearc sgiathanach. These fossils represent the most complete skeleton of a Middle Jurassic pterosaur ever found in the UK. Wingspan estimates for Dearc vary, with estimates ranging from 1.9 to 3.8 metres. As part of the analysis of the Abingdon ctenochasmatoid phalanx the researchers re-examined the wingspan calculations for Dearc sgiathanach.

Dearc is geologically much older than the Abingdon specimen. It is also a very different type of pterosaur. It is a rhamphorhynchine. The humerus of Dearc is substantial. It measures 112 mm in length. It is one of the largest Jurassic pterosaur humerus fossils known, but larger humeri, most notably from the geologically younger Solnhofen Limestone deposits of Germany have been described.

To read Everything Dinosaur’s blog post about the scientific description of Dearc sgiathanach: Fantastic Pterosaur Fossil from the Isle of Skye.

Challenging Conclusions Made in the 2022 Dearc sgiathanach Paper

The research team challenged the conclusions made by Jagielska et al in their 2022 paper. They contest that the calculation of wingspan size for Dearc sgiathanach was based on a close comparison with the highly derived rhamphorhynchine Rhamphorhynchus. Rhamphorhynchus had a long forelimb and relatively elongate wing-finger. However, phylogenetic analysis suggests that Dearc was not closely related to Rhamphorhynchus. It was more closely related to basal rhamphorhynchines such as Angustinaripterus. Comparing the wing bones of Dearc to more closely related pterosaurs (Angustaripterini) led this research team to conclude that Dearc was still a sizable Jurassic pterosaur, but its wingspan was probably around two metres.

Jurassic pterosaur wingspan comparisons.

A selection of outlines of large Jurassic pterosaur wingspans. Left pterodactyloids, right ‘rhamphorhynchoids’. Dual silhouettes indicate the lower and upper end member estimates on wingspan based on comparative morphological analysis. Dearc sgiathanach based upon revised wingspan estimate in this study. Picture credit: University of Portsmouth.

The Abingdon Pterosaur Discovery Represents one of the Largest Jurassic Flying Reptiles Known to Science

Professor Martill commented on the Abingdon pterosaur discovery:

“This specimen [specimen number EC K2576] is now one of the largest known pterosaurs from the Jurassic period worldwide, surpassed only by a specimen in Switzerland with an estimated wingspan of up to five metres.”

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Portsmouth in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “A ‘giant’ pterodactyloid pterosaur from the British Jurassic” by James L. Etienne, Roy E. Smith, David M. Unwin, Robert S.H. Smyth, and David M. Martill published in the Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.

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4 06, 2024

Musankwa – A New Sauropodmorph from Zimbabwe

By Mike|2024-06-16T11:44:18+01:00June 4th, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Palaeontological articles, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Fossils found on the shoreline of Lake Kariba in northwestern Zimbabwe represent a completely new species of dinosaur. This new dinosaur, a sauropodomorph, has been named Musankwa sanyatiensis. It is only the fourth dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe. The study involved the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe, Stony Brook University (New York) and the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa). The research was led by Professor Paul Barrett of the London Natural History Museum.

Musankwa sanyatiensis life reconstruction.

Artist reconstruction of Musankwa sanyatiensis, walking in Triassic shallow waters past a temnospondyl (metoposaur). Picture credit: Atashni Moopen.

A New Late Triassic Sauropodmorph Dinosaur

The discovery of Musankwa sanyatiensis is extremely significant. It is the first dinosaur to be named from the Mid-Zambezi Basin in more than fifty years. In addition, Musankwa will help to inform palaeontologists about the evolution of Late Triassic sauropodomorphs.

The four dinosaurs to be named and described from fossils found in Zimbabwe are:

Megapnosaurus rhodesiensis (a coelophysoid, formerly known as Syntarsus and named in 1969).
Vulcanodon karibaensis (a primitive, Early Jurassic sauropod named in 1972).
Mbiresaurus raathi (a basal, Late Triassic sauropodomorph named in 2022).
Musankwa sanyatiensis (a basal sauropodomorph named in 2024).

M. sanyatiensis is known from hind leg bones which represent a single, individual animal. The right femur, tibia and astragalus were distinct from all other Late Triassic massopodan sauropodomorphs, so the researchers were confident that this was a new species.

One of the co-authors of the paper, Assistant Professor Kimberley Chapelle (Stony Brook University) commented:

“Despite the limited fossil material, these bones possess unique features that distinguish them from those of other dinosaurs living at the same time.”

Musankwa sanyatiensis fossil site location map. The geographic setting of the Mid-Zambezi Basin and Spurwing Island in northwest Zimbabwe. Picture credit: Lara Sciscio.

Musankwa sanyatiensis Named After a Houseboat

This new dinosaur was named after the houseboat “Musankwa”. The vessel was used by the research team for accommodation and as a makeshift laboratory. It was supplied by David and Julie Glynn. The crew Godfrey Swalika, Simbarashe Mangoroma, Never Mapira and Coster Katupu provided essential logistical support to the field team.

The house-boat that housed the research team.

The houseboat “Musankwa”, the vessel that functioned as the home and mobile laboratory during two field expeditions to Lake Kariba in 2017–2018, which was made available through the generosity of David and Julie Glynn, and whose crew, Coster Katupu, Godfrey Swalika, Simbarashe Mangoroma, and Never Mapira, provided essential logistic support. Picture credit: Jonah Choiniere.

Phylogenetic analysis places Musankwa sanyatiensis as the earliest branching member of the Massopoda lineage of sauropodomorphs. It is thought to have been bipedal and weighed around 390 kilograms. Although no giant, Musankwa was one of the biggest dinosaurs known from the Late Triassic of southern Africa.

African Dinosaurs

Africa has a long history of dinosaur fossil discovery. The first dinosaur from the Southern Hemisphere was found in South Africa just three years after Sir Richard Owen coined the term “Dinosauria”. Remarkably, most dinosaur fossils from the continent have been found in just ten countries. Most of these are from north Africa, from countries like Morocco and Egypt. The dinosaurs of southern Africa are poorly known in comparison.

Professor Paul Barrett explained:

“Put simply, there have been fewer people looking for and unearthing dinosaurs in comparison with other regions of the world.”

Excavating the fossilised remains of Musankwa sanyatiensis.

The international research team composed of scientists from Zimbabwe, South Africa and the UK at the Musankwa sanyatiensis fossil locality on Spurwing Island, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Picture credit: Lara Sciscio.

To read an article about the discovery of a giant sauropod from Angola: A New Giant Sauropod – Angolatitan.

Although there have been only a few dinosaurs named and described from southern Africa, those that have been found are historically and scientifically significant. Some of the geologically oldest dinosaurs have been described, such as Nyasasaurus parringtoni from Tanzania and Mbiresaurus raathi from Zimbabwe.

An article from 2012 outlining the significance of Nyasasaurus parringtoni to dinosaur research: Putting Back the Date of the First Dinosaurs to Evolve.

The research team commented that the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic sediments of Zimbabwe are crucial for understanding the End-Triassic extinction. This was a catastrophic event that dramatically reshaped Earth’s biodiversity around 200 million years ago. The geology provides insights into how different fossil-bearing sediments around the world correspond in age and help in piecing together the global picture of ancient life.

Musankwa sanyatiensis leg bones as they were discovered in the ground on Spurwing Island, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. Picture credit: Paul Barrett.

Musankwa sanyatiensis Highlighting the Untapped Potential of Southern Africa

The formal description of Musankwa sanyatiensis highlights the latent potential of southern Africa. It is likely that many more significant fossil discoveries will be made.

Professor Paul Barrett commented:

“Over the last six years, many new fossil sites have been recorded in Zimbabwe, yielding a diverse array of prehistoric animals, including the first sub-Saharan mainland African phytosaurs [ancient crocodile-like reptiles], metoposaurid amphibians [giant armoured amphibians], lungfish, and other reptile remains.”

As more parts of southern Africa are explored for prehistoric animal fossils, there is hope that more important discoveries will be made. These fossils will shed light on dinosaur evolution and the ecosystems they inhabited.

Dr Kimberley Chapelle added:

“Based on where it sits on the dinosaur family tree, Musankwa sanyatiensis is the first dinosaur of its kind from Zimbabwe. It, therefore, highlights the potential of the region for further palaeontological discoveries.”

Musankwa sanyatiensis fossil bones in situ, after mechanical preparation, and after CT scanning. Artist reconstruction of Musankwa sanyatiensis showing position of fossil bones. Picture credit: Barrett et al. 2024, Atashni Moopen.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release by the University of the Witwatersrand in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “A new Late Triassic sauropodomorph dinosaur from the Mid-Zambezi Basin, Zimbabwe” by Barrett, P.M., Chapelle, K.E.J., Sciscio, L., Broderick, T.J., Zondo, M., Munyikwa, D., and Choiniere, J.N. Published in Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Toys.

2 06, 2024

A New Abelisaurid from Argentina – Koleken inakayali

By Mike|2024-06-03T21:51:05+01:00June 2nd, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

A new species of South American abelisaurid dinosaur has been named by scientists. It lived in Patagonia around 69 million years ago (Maastrichtian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous. Named Koleken inakayali it shared its estuarine environment with the much bigger, related abelisaurid Carnotaurus sastrei. Its discovery and subsequent phylogenetic analysis provides a much needed context for understanding the rate of evolution within ceratosaurian theropods. Koleken helps to reinforce the belief that abelisaurids were the most successful group of large meat-eating dinosaurs in the Late Cretaceous of Gondwana.

A life reconstruction of the newly described abelisaurid dinosaur Koleken inakayali. Picture credit: Gabriel Diaz Yantén.

Koleken inakayali

Most of the fossil material comes from a substantial concretion collected from strata associated with the La Colonia Formation of Chubut Province, southern Argentina. The concretion contained the posterior portion of the skeleton. Fragmentary pieces of skull were also recovered. Analysis of the bones suggests that the fossils represent a subadult animal, which was at least six years old when it died. Although Koleken lived at the same time as Carnotaurus, the researchers concluded that the fossils represented a new, unique abelisaurid and not a specimen of an immature Carnotaurus. Several unique characteristics of the bones were identified. Furthermore, Koleken inakayali lacked horns on its skull. Skull horns are a characteristic associated with Carnotaurus.

Rebor Oddities Fossil Studies C. sastrei museum quality skull model.

Carnotaurus possessed a pair of horns on the top of its head. The newly described Koleken inakayali lacked horns.

The picture (above) shows a model of a Carnotaurus sastrei skull from Rebor.

To view the range of Rebor prehistoric animal figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Rebor Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

Roughened bone surface associated with the nasal area does suggest that this dinosaur may have had some sort of ridge structure running along its snout.

Koleken inakayali material excavated from La Colonia Formation (southern Argentina).

The fossil material was collected from deposits associated with the La Colonia Formation (Chubut Province, southern Argentina). Field team members prepare some of the fossil bones for removal. Picture credit: María Agustinho.

Coming from Clay and Water

The genus name is derived from Kóleken, a name in the local Teushen language spoken by the native population of central Patagonia that means “coming from clay and water”. The specimen was found in a sedimentary section dominated by claystone representing an estuarine environment. The trivial or species name honours Inakayal, one of the last chiefs of the native people from central Patagonia (the Tehuelches). He is known for his resistance against Argentina’s 19th century military campaign, which resulted in the decimation and displacement of native communities from southern Argentina.

Lead author of the scientific paper Diego Pol (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Buenos Aires), commented:

“The new dinosaur is represented by a partial skeleton that includes several skull bones, an almost complete set of back bones, a complete hip, several tail bones and almost complete legs”.

The carcase of Koleken inakayali was probably transported by a river to an estuary, where it was buried shortly after its death. The first fossils were discovered in 2015. Although far from complete, this specimen will help palaeontologists assess how different parts of the skeleton of abelisaurids and their close relatives changed over time.

Co-author of the paper, Fernando Novas (Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia), explained:

“We analysed the evolutionary relationships of abelisaurids and their closest relatives, the noasaurids, and found periods of time in which these groups changed rapidly and other periods in which their evolution remained almost at a standstill.”

Koleken inakayali fossils being cleaned.

Fossilised bones of Koleken being cleaned and prepared for further study. Picture credit: María Agustinho.

Abelisaurids Coexisted

The discovery of this new abelisaurid expands our knowledge about Late Cretaceous theropods of South America. Koleken demonstrates that several species of abelisaurids coexisted in the same environments during the Maastrichtian faunal stage of the Cretaceous. It also shows that abelisaurids were extremely diverse compared to other types of dinosaur. Abelisaurids were probably the dominant carnivores. The larger Carnotaurus sastrei was probably the apex predator, whilst Koleken inakayali at around four to five metres in length, probably filled a secondary predator niche.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“We are learning more about ancient palaeoenvironments and the animals that existed within them. Perhaps, the African plains today can provide an analogy. You could consider Carnotaurus as fulfilling the role of a lion in this ecosystem, with Koleken filling a secondary predator niche such as a leopard.”

For Dominic

Team members from Everything Dinosaur met a remarkable young dinosaur fan called Dominic recently. Dominic knew that a new species of meat-eating dinosaur had just been announced and was keen to learn more about Koleken. We promised that we would dedicate our blog post about this new dinosaur to him. Perhaps Dominic’s mum could ask him to draw Koleken inakayali. We would very much like to see how Dominic interprets this new dinosaur discovery.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia in the compilation of this article.

For Dominic.

The scientific paper: “A new abelisaurid dinosaur from the end Cretaceous of Patagonia and evolutionary rates among the Ceratosauria” by Diego Pol, Mattia Antonio Baiano, David Černý, Fernando E. Novas, Ignacio A. Cerda and Michael Pittman published in cladistics.

31 05, 2024

Unique Insight into an Ancient Late Triassic Landscape

By Mike|2024-05-30T10:24:58+01:00May 31st, 2024|Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal News Stories, Dinosaur Fans, Geology, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|0 Comments

Researchers, including scientists from the University of Bristol have undertaken extensive fieldwork to determine the fauna of a Late Triassic landscape. The excavation and study of hundreds of microvertebrate fossils from Lavernock Point (close to Cardiff and Penarth), has enabled the research team to construct a picture of the palaeoenvironment of South Wales around 200 million years ago.

A Terrestrial Environment Close to a Tropical Sea

Dinosaurs and other tetrapods lived on a tropical lowland beside the sea. Dinosaur trackways are known from Barry and other sites close to Lavernock Point. These trace fossils and the recent discovery of dinosaur bones has helped shed light on the history of dinosaurs in Wales.

Evidence of dinosaurs in the Late Triassic landscape of Wales.

Evidence of dinosaurs in the Late Triassic landscape of South Wales. A tridactyl (three-toed) footprint, one of many trackways and prints associated with the Dinosauria known from South Wales. Picture credit: Cindy Howells at the National Museum of Wales.

A Late Triassic Landscape

The cliffs at Lavernock Point contain shales and limestone deposits that were laid down in a warm, tropical sea. Bonebeds are found at several levels of the strata. These locations contain the remains of fish including sharks, marine reptiles and occasionally dinosaurs.

Whilst most of the dinosaurs were small, when compared to their Jurassic descendants, recent marine reptile discoveries indicate that there were giants in the ecosystem. For example, fossilised jawbones indicate the presence of enormous ichthyosaurs, some of which may have been the size of the largest extant whales.

To read a recent blog post about giant Triassic ichthyosaurs: Ichthyotitan A Colossus of the Late Triassic.

Owain Evans, a former student at Bristol University led the research.

He explained:

“The bone bed paints the picture of a tropical archipelago, which was subjected to frequent storms, that washed material from around the surrounding area, both in land and out at sea, into a tidal zone. This means that from just one fossil horizon, we can reconstruct a complex ecological system, with a diverse array of marine reptiles like ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs and placodonts in the water, and dinosaurs on land.”

A life reconstruction of a pair of Ichthyotitan severnensis.

A giant pair of Ichthyotitan severnensis. Giant marine reptiles swam in the shallow seas surround a tropical archipelago. Picture credit: Gabriel Ugueto.

The researcher added:

“I had visited the coast at Penarth all my life, growing up in Cardiff, but never noticed the fossils. Then, the more I read, the more amazing it became. Local geologists had been collecting bones since the 1870s, and most of these are in the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff.”

Continuing the Research Begun in the 19th Century

Cindy Howells, the Curator of Palaeontology at the National Museum of Wales (Cardiff) highlighted the significance of the fossil discoveries at Lavernock Point. The strata and the fossils contained therein have been studied since the 19th century.

Cindy commented:

“The presence of dinosaur fossils at the site ensure that it remains one of the most significant localities for palaeontology in Wales.”

Two Important Discoveries

Two significant discoveries were made by the research team during the fieldwork at Lavernock. Firstly, an osteoderm from a placodont was discovered. Placodonts were a type of marine reptile that thrived during the Triassic. Secondly, a gular bone from the skull of a coelacanth was found.

Co-author of the scientific paper and the research supervisor Dr Chris Duffin explained:

“The remains of coelacanths and placodonts are relatively rare in the UK, which makes these finds even more remarkable. These two fossils alone help build a broader picture of what the Rhaetian in the UK would have looked like.”

Scale drawing of a Coelacanth. What is a Coelacanth?

A scale drawing of a Coelacanth. The gular bone is located between the dentaries of primitive fish such as Coelacanths. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaurs of the Late Triassic Landscape

Professor Michael Benton from Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, another co-author of the study added:

“The volume of dinosaur remains found at Lavernock is extremely exciting, and is a chance to study a complex, and often mysterious period in their evolutionary history. We have identified the remains of a large Plateosaurus like animal, along with several bones which likely belonged to a predatory theropod.”

This is exciting news, team members at Everything Dinosaur are looking forward to hearing more about these recent dinosaur fossil discoveries. Perhaps, a new species of Welsh sauropodomorph will be described.

The majority of the study focuses on the abundant microfossils found in the cliffs. These fossils include fish teeth, scales and bone fragments. By studying thousands of fossils, the research team were able to identify the key species that lived in the tropical sea. In addition, the team can estimate relative population densities. This permits them to construct food webs and learn more about the fauna present in the Late Triassic landscape. It is likely that more dinosaur fossil discoveries will be made in the future.

Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the University of Bristol in the compilation of this article.

The scientific paper: “Microvertebrates from the basal Rhaetian Bone Bed (Late Triassic) at Lavernock, South Wales” by Owain Evans, Christopher J. Duffin, Claudia Hildebrandt, and Michael J. Benton published in the Proceedings of the Geologist’s Association.

The Everything Dinosaur website: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Toys.