All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
Articles, features and information which have slightly more scientific content with an emphasis on palaeontology, such as updates on academic papers, published papers etc.
A team of international researchers have identified a new species of Late Cretaceous carnivorous dinosaur from fragmentary fossil bones found in south-eastern Brazil. The dinosaur has been named Kurupi itaata, the strata from which the fossils came were laid down in a very arid environment, as such, Kurupi itaata is the first named tetrapod from the Late Cretaceous Marília Formation (Bauru Group).
A life reconstruction of the newly described Brazilian abelisaurid Kurupi itaata. The semi-arid environment as revealed by the Marília Formation deposits. Picture credit: Júlia d’Oliveira.
Described from three tail bones (caudal vertebrae) and a partial pelvic girdle, the research team were able to identify anatomical traits that led them to conclude that Kurupi was an abelisaurid. Estimated at around five metres in length, its discovery provides further information on the dinosaurs that inhabited South America around 70 million years ago (Maastrichtian faunal stage of the Late Cretaceous).
Analysis of muscle attachment scars associated with the pelvic girdle and an assessment of the shape of the tail bones indicating a rigid tail suggest that Kurupi was a strong runner. The fossil bones come from the Municipality of Monte Alto in the state of São Paulo.
The dinosaur was named after a monstrous child from the Guarani indigenous culture – Kurupira. A child of evil spirits in local legend Kurupira is the lord of forests and the protector of all the animals that lived in them as well as being a God of fertility and sexual prowess. The species or trivial name “itaata” refers to the extremely hard surrounding rock matrix that proved difficult to remove.
Views of the partial hip bones of Kurupi itaata, the partial pelvic girdle and the caudal vertebrae are believed to represent the bones from a single individual animal. Note scale bar equals 15 cm. Picture credit: Iori et al.
Potentially More Dinosaurs?
The presence of a large predator suggests that the fossils of herbivorous dinosaurs might be found in the Marília Formation, although it is not known whether Kurupi was a permanent resident of the arid, Late Cretaceous environment represented by the deposition or whether it was a seasonal visitor.
Described as a mid-sized abelisaurid, its discovery provides further information of the diversity of the Abelisauridae in western Gondwana, although a phylogenetic analysis proved inconclusive and this dinosaur’s taxonomic placement within the Abelisauridae remains uncertain.
The scientific paper: “New theropod dinosaur from the late Cretaceous of Brazil improves abelisaurid diversity” by Fabiano Vidoi Iori, Hermínio Ismael de Araújo-Júnior, Sandra A. Simionato Tavares, Thiago da Silva Marinho, Agustín G. Martinelli published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences.
Earlier this week, we posted up an article summarising the newly published research into an exquisitely preserved skull of an elasmosaurid plesiosaur from Angola. The African marine reptile is Cardiocorax mukulu, which had been formally named and described from post-cranial material found just 250 metres away from where the skull and other associated bones that were the subject of the scientific paper we reported upon, were discovered.
Whilst reading the paper (Marx et al 2020), it was stated that currently, six valid plesiosaurian taxa have been named and identified from the continent of Africa. This surprised Everything Dinosaur team members, only six valid plesiosaurian taxa known from the whole of Africa? This suggests that more plesiosaur genera are known from southern England than from the whole of the African continent. We are no experts, but we thought we would have a dig into our database to see if we could identify the six valid taxa mentioned in the scientific paper.
A replica of a long-necked plesiosaur swims into view. It is surprising that so few members of the Plesiosauria clade are known from Africa. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Plesiosaurs – A Very Ancient but Diverse Group of Marine Reptiles
Plesiosaur fossils have been found on every continent and this marine reptile clade is represented by a fossil record that extends for over 130 million years, with the first plesiosaurs probably evolved in the Late Triassic and they survived until the end of the Cretaceous, becoming extinct at the same time as the terrestrial non-avian dinosaurs. This diverse clade can be split into two distinct body types:
Plesiosauromorph – long necks and small heads such as the elasmosaurid Cardiocorax.
Pliosauromorph – short necks and large heads typical of apex predators such as Liopleurodon.
The three groups that make up the Plesiosauroidea. It used to be thought that the Plesiosauroidea consisted of long-necked forms, whilst the Pliosauridae was made up of the short-necked forms with large heads, but palaeontologists now realise this was an oversimplification of plesiosaur taxonomy. The Rhomaleosauridae evolved during the Early Jurassic, they are related to the pliosaur lineage within the Plesiosauria clade. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The prehistoric animals in the image (above) are from the CollectA range.
Looking at our extensive database we were able to list the following African plesiosaurs:
Cardiocorax mukulu – Late Cretaceous (Angola), approximately 71.5 million years ago, named and described in 2015.
An unnamed aristonectine elasmosaurid plesiosaur coeval to Cardiocorax.
Thililua longicollis – Late Cretaceous (Morocco), a polycotylid plesiosaur dating from approximately 93-92 million years ago, named and described in 2003.
Manemergus anguirostris – Late Cretaceous (Morocco), another polycotylid plesiosaur dating from approximately 93-92 million years ago which was named and described in 2005.
Leptocleidus capenensis – Early Cretaceous of South Africa, formerly known as Plesiosaurus capensis dating from 139-132 million years ago.
Zarafasaura oceanis – Late Cretaceous (Morocco), an elasmosaurid and the geologically youngest plesiosaur known from Africa (Late Maastrichtian – around 67- 66 million years ago).
Brachauchenius lucasi (Turonian of Morocco), described in 2015, a pliosaurid from 93-92 million years ago. This genus is most closely associated with the Western Interior Seaway of North America.
Libonectes morgani – Late Cretaceous (Morocco), formerly known as Libonectes atlasense, an elasmosaurid dating from 93-92 million years ago. Just like B. lucasi, fossils of this marine reptile are closely associated with North America.
Numerous fragmentary bones, isolated teeth and such like have been found in Africa that purport to represent plesiosaurs, but these are the valid taxa that we could retrieve from our database.
We have probably missed a few, no doubt our well-educated readers will be able to give us a steer.
A superbly preserved and almost complete specimen of the pterosaur Tupandactylus navigans has enabled researchers to get a better understanding of the body of this Brazilian flying reptile. The skull too, with its exquisite preservation has provided new data on the amazing super-sized sagittal crest associated with this genus.
Tupandactylus navigans life reconstruction. The study of a nearly complete articulated specimen confiscated in a police raid has provided palaeontologists with the opportunity to study post-cranial fossils of this spectacular tapejarid pterosaur for the first time. Picture credit: Beccari et al.
Confiscated in a Police Raid
The fossil specimen (number GP/2E 9266), was confiscated in a police raid at Santos Harbour, São Paulo State (Brazil), along with several other beautifully well-preserved fossils. Unfortunately, illegal fossil collection and sale of specimens on the black market is an increasing problem in Brazil. However, the successful raid prevented this hugely significant pterosaur fossil from ending up in the hands of a private collector.
The specimen is now housed at the Universidade de São Paulo (Brazil) and most of the researchers involved in the scientific paper are also based in Brazil, except for Octávio Mateus (Museu da Lourinhã, Portugal). Writing in the on-line, open access journal PLOS One, the scientists conclude that this specimen is the best-preserved tapejarid skeleton discovered to date. Their analysis has shed new light on the anatomy of this Tapejaridae family.
Tupandactylus navigans specimen number GP/2E 9266. Photo of specimen (A) and three-dimensional model of specimen based on CT scans (B). Picture credit: Beccari et al.
CT Scans
The pterosaur fossil is comprised of six limestone slabs. As this fossil was collected illegally, its provenance is unknown. However, by studying the yellow-stained, laminated limestone matrix, the research team were able to confidently assign the fossil to the Aptian-aged Crato Formation. The fossil took a trip to the local hospital in São Paulo, to enable CT scans to be undertaken. The subsequent three-dimensional models generated enabled the scientists to reconstruct the body of Tupandactylus for the first time. Prior to the discovery of this fossil, most Brazilian tapejarids had been described based on isolated skull bones.
Skeletal reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen number GP/2E 9266 in (A) lateral view and (B) dorsal view. Skull reconstruction (C). Scale bar in C = 10 cm. This superb, articulated specimen enabled scientists to learn more about the anatomy of tapejarid pterosaurs. Picture credit Beccari et al.
Tupandactylus and a Remarkable Head Crest
Soft tissue from the huge crest on the top of the head, extends to more than five times the actual height of the skull. Analysis of the crest enabled the research team to confirm differences between Tupandactylus navigans and the closely related T. imperator. Specimens of T. navigans tend to be smaller than T. imperator and it had been speculated that just one species was represented with the differences between T. imperator and T. navigans being explained by sexual dimorphism. Thanks to the exquisite preservation of this fossil specimen the research team were able to identify several anatomical traits that support the idea that Tupandactylus navigans and Tupandactylus imperator are indeed separate species.
Different colour patterns seen in the sagittal crest do not represent fossilisation of any colour patterning but may have occurred due to oxidation of the material. However, a more detailed analysis of the soft tissues associated with GP/2E 9266 is currently being undertaken.
A close-up view of the skull of T. navigans showing the soft tissue preservation. Picture credit: Beccari et al.
Tupandactylus navigans
Tupandactylus navigans was named and scientifically described in 2003 based on a study of two fossil skulls (Frey, Martill and Buchy). At the time, it was postulated that the huge head crest could have been used as a sail to help with flight stability and assist with aerial propulsion. For this structure to work in this way, the neckbones would have had to be robust, relatively short and supported by powerful tendons to combat stresses imposed on the neck. With an almost complete, articulated skeleton to study, the scientists led by Victor Beccari (Universidade de São Paulo), discovered that this pterosaur had a long neck, long limbs and relatively short wings (estimated wingspan 2.7 metres).
The enormous crest probably did not play a role in aiding powered flight. Such a huge structure may well have hindered this pterosaur’s aerial abilities.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The sagittal crest of Tupandactylus may have evolved due to sexual selection pressure, females showing a bias towards males with larger crests. The crest may have been used for display or to denote maturity, status or fitness for breeding. Many living birds sport crests, wattles and other structures, perhaps adult T. navigans sacrificed some aerial ability by growing enormous crests in a bid to attract mates.”
Skeleton reconstruction of Tupandactylus navigans based on specimen number GP/2E 9266. Scale bar = 5 cm. Picture credit: Beccari et al.
Spotting a Notarium
The front five dorsal vertebrae form a notarium which helps brace the chest and counter the stresses on the torso created by the flapping of the wings. This structure is found in living birds and some types of pterosaur but this is the first time, as far as Everything Dinosaur team members are aware, that a notarium has been identified in a tapejarid.
he scientific paper: “Osteology of an exceptionally well-preserved tapejarid skeleton from Brazil: Revealing the anatomy of a curious pterodactyloid clade” by Victor Beccari, Felipe Lima Pinheiro, Ivan Nunes, Luiz Eduardo Anelli, Octávio Mateus and Fabiana Rodrigues Costa published in PLOS One.
Researchers writing in the on-line, open-access journal PLOS One have described the most complete plesiosaur skull found to date from sub-Saharan Africa. The skull and post cranial fossil material reported upon comes from the Upper Cretaceous Mocuio Formation exposures located at Bentiaba in the Namibe Province of Angola.
The fossils represent another specimen of the elasmosaurid Cardiocorax (C. mukulu) one of just six valid plesiosaurian taxa known from the whole of Africa. This plesiosaur swam in a shallow, tropical sea and the fossils are around 71.5 million years old.
Three-dimensional computer models showing the skull of Cardiocorax mukulu (A) computer image in dorsal view with (B) annotated diagram of skull also in dorsal view. Picture (C) shows the computer model in ventral view with (D) an annotated diagram of the skull (dorsal view). Picture credit: Marx et al.
Cardiocorax mukulu
The specimen was found in sandstone deposits, stratigraphically just 3 metres above where the holotype material for this taxon was found. The researchers who studied the fossils, which included Octávio Mateus (Museu da Lourinhã, Portugal) and lead author Miguel Marx from the Southern Methodist University (Dallas, Texas), concluded that the fossils represented C. mukulu as the overlapping skeletal material of this specimen – MGUAN PA278 with that of the holotype were virtually identical.
An illustration of Cardiocorax mukulu based on the holotype and the newly described cranial material (MGUAN PA278). The illustration is based on the earlier elasmosaurid Thalassomedon (T. haningtoni).Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
This elasmosaurid had been originally named and described back in 2015. The genus name comes from the Greek “kardia” which means heart and coracoid, a paired bone that forms part of the shoulder in most vertebrates. This is a reference to the unique heart-shaped fenestra (hole) which occurs between the coracoid bones, a characteristic that is unique to this genus. The specific or trivial name comes from the local Angolan Bantu dialect and means “ancestor).
The pectoral girdle of Cardiocorax (specimen number MGUAN PA103) in ventral view with the heart-shaped fenestra between the coracoid bones highlighted (red arrow). Picture credit: Araújo et al.
High Resolution CT Scans Reveal Details of Plesiosaur Skull
The exquisite, three-dimensional preservation of the skull material provided the scientists with an opportunity to examine in close detail the morphology of the skull. The delicate fossil could have been damaged during further preparation, so the specimen was subjected to high resolution CT scans at the University of Texas High-Resolution X-ray CT Facility this permitted the anatomy of the skull to be revealed.
The holotype fossils, which were used to name and describe this elasmosaurid back in 2015 lacked skull bones. The discovery of an almost complete, three-dimensional skull of Cardiocorax enabled the research team to conduct an elaborate series of phylogenetic assessments to assess where within the Plesiosauria Cardiocorax should be placed.
Most of these analyses suggest an early-branching or intermediate position for Cardiocorax mukulu within the Elasmosauridae family. Elasmosaurines have elongated neck bones (cervical vertebrae), this anatomical characteristic is absent in Cardiocorax mukulu which suggests that it was a relic of an older, less derived lineage of elasmosaurids. These results indicate that several different types of elasmosaurid persisted into the Maastrichtian faunal stage of the Cretaceous.
The scientific paper: “The cranial anatomy and relationships of Cardiocorax mukulu (Plesiosauria: Elasmosauridae) from Bentiaba, Angola” by Miguel P. Marx, Octávio Mateus, Michael J. Polcyn, Anne S. Schulp, A. Olímpio Gonçalves and Louis L. Jacobs published in PLOS One.
Researchers from the Department of Space Studies at the Southwest Research Institute (Boulder, Colorado), have developed a dynamic model to predict the origin of the extra-terrestrial body that smashed into our planet 66 million years ago. This colossal impact event played a significant role in the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs.
An artist’s impression of the bolide about to impact with the Gulf of Mexico 66 million years ago. Picture credit: Chas Stone.
Picture credit: Chas Stone
From the Outer Half of the Main Asteroid Belt
The research suggests that the dinosaur-killing asteroid originated from the outer half of the main asteroid belt between Mars and the gas giant Jupiter. It had been thought that this region of space did not produce many impactors (bodies that crash into other planets, moons etc). The paper published in “Science Direct” concludes that the processes that deliver large asteroids to Earth from that region occur at least ten times more frequently than previously thought and that the composition of these bodies match what we know of the dinosaur-killing impactor.
The Southwest Research Institute team consisting of lead author Dr David Nesvorný, Dr William Bottke and Dr Simone Marchi used sophisticated computer models of asteroid evolution combined with observations of known asteroids to investigate how frequently so-called Chicxulub events might occur. Around 66 million years ago an extra-terrestrial bolide estimated at around 10 kilometres in diameter smashed into the Gulf of Mexico (Yucatan peninsula). This impact event devastated life on Earth and formed the Chicxulub crater – which is over 150 kilometres across.
Commenting on the purpose of their research, Dr William Bottke explained that two very important questions remained unanswered:
“What was the source of the impactor? How often did such impact events occur on Earth in the past?”
An artist’s impression of the impact event which helped to wipe out the non-avian dinosaurs. Picture credit: SwRI and Don Davis.
Picture credit: SwRI and Don Davis
The Search for the Source of the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid
Using recently published research on the composition of the Chicxulub crater the researchers identified that the extra-terrestrial body that smashed into Earth had a similar chemical signature to the carbonaceous chondrite class of meteorites. Intriguingly, whilst carbonaceous chondrites are common amongst the many mile-wide bodies that approach the Earth, none today are close to the size needed to produce the Chicxulub impact with any kind of reasonable probability.
Dr Nesvorný explained that this finding sent the team on a hunt into space to find the likely source of the bolide that collided with Earth with such catastrophic consequences for about 75% of all terrestrial lifeforms.
He commented:
“We decided to look for where the siblings of the Chicxulub impactor might be hiding.”
The team turned to the NASA’s Pleaides Supercomputer and modelled the trajectories of 130,000 asteroids, examining how gravitational kicks from the planets might push these objects into orbits near to Earth. The researchers found that their computer simulations predicted Earth impacts from asteroids originating from the outer half of the asteroid belt ten times more frequently than previously thought.
A map of the solar system with the outer portion of the asteroid belt shown by the yellow arrow. Picture credit: BBC with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: BBC with additional annotation by Everything Dinosaur
They calculated that asteroids in excess of 10 kilometres in diameter hit Earth once every 250 million years or so.
This suggests that the non-avian dinosaurs and the other organisms that became extinct 66 million years ago, were very unlucky. Fortunately, in deep geological time, such catastrophic Earth impacts remain rare.
Commenting on the importance of this new research, Dr Nesvorný added:
“This work will help us better understand the nature of the Chicxulub impact, while also telling us where other large impactors from Earth’s deep past might have originated.”
Everything Dinosaur acknowledges the assistance of a media release from the Southwest Research Institute in the compilation of this article.
The scientific paper: “Dark primitive asteroids account for a large share of K/Pg-scale impacts on the Earth” by David Nesvorný, William F. Bottke and Simone Marchi published in Science Direct.
In 2017, Everything Dinosaur reported on the discovery of an extensive pterosaur nesting site that had been found south of the Tian Shan Mountains in Xinjiang (Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), in north-western China. The bonebeds represented colonial nesting sites of Hamipterus tianshanensis. It was a flying reptile that had been formally named and described back in 2014.
Fieldwork in this area has revealed the presence of dinosaurs and a paper has been published this week describing sauropod fossils. These are the first dinosaurs to be identified from this part of China. Two of the fossil specimens have led to the erection of new sauropod species Silutitan sinensis and Hamititan xinjiangensis. Four incomplete bones from the sacrum along with associated sacral ribs representing another sauropod specimen have also been found, but as yet, no genus for these fossils has been assigned.
Two sauropods disturb a nesting colony of Hamipterus pterosaurs. Silutitan sinensis (left) and Hamititan xinjiangensis (right), a single theropod tooth found in association with the H. xinjiangensis material indicates the presence of carnivorous dinosaurs. Picture credit: Zhao Chuang.
Silutitan sinensis
Described from a series of six articulated cervical vertebrae (neck bones), with associated cervical ribs, Silutitan sinensis (which translates as Chinese Silk Road Titan), has been assigned to the Euhelopodidae family and is thought to have been closely related to Euhelopus (E.zdanskyi). At an estimated twenty metres plus, it is the larger of the two sauropods to be described in the scientific paper.
Silutitan sinensis gen. et sp. nov. (holotype-IVPP V27874) in left lateral view. Note scale bar in (B) = 50 cm. Picture credit: Wang et al.
Hamititan xinjiangensis
Although contemporaneous with Silutitan (Lower Cretaceous, Shengjinkou Formation of the Tugulu Group). Hamititan was not closely related. Cladistic analysis based on the tail bones (caudal vertebrae) from which this dinosaur was described, suggests that Hamititan is a titanosaur (a lithostrotian titanosaur), as such, it seems more closely related to South American titanosaurs such as Epachthosaurus and Notocolossus.
The genus name translates as Hami City Titan, whilst the species name honours the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.
A single theropod tooth (below, picture F), indicates the presence of theropod dinosaurs.
Hamititan xinjiangensis gen. et sp. nov., caudal sequence (HM V22) in right lateral view. Scale bar for specimen (top) = 50 cm. Scale bar for theropod tooth (F) = 5 cm. Picture credit: Wang et al.
No Name for the Third Specimen
A third specimen consisting of four sacrum bones and associated sacral ribs has not been assigned to a species. However, the researchers, writing in the academic journal Scientific Reports conclude that not only do these fossils represent the first dinosaurs to be described from the Shengjinkou Formation but they also help to support the hypothesis that Asia was home to a great variety of different types of sauropod during the Early Cretaceous.
All specimens described in the scientific paper shown in one skeleton of a typical titanosaur. Preserved cervical elements of Silutitan sinensis (IVPP V27874) in red with preserved caudal elements of Hamititan xinjiangensis (HM V22) shown in yellow and the preserved sacral elements of the unnamed sauropod (specimen number IVPP V27875) in green. Picture credit: Maurílio Oliveira.
The scientific paper: “The first dinosaurs from the Early Cretaceous Hami Pterosaur Fauna, China” by Xiaolin Wang, Kamila L. N. Bandeira, Rui Qiu, Shunxing Jiang, Xin Cheng, Yingxia Ma and Alexander W. A. Kellner published in Scientific Reports.
A new species of Australian pterosaur has been named and described based on a fragmentary fossil representing the front portion of the lower jaw. Thapunngaka shawi is just the fourth pterosaur to have been named and described from the “land down under” and with a wingspan estimated to be as much as 9.47 metres, it might just be the largest Australian flying reptile known to science.
A reconstruction of the metre-long skull of Thapunngaka shawi showing the placement of the rostral portion of the mandible. Scale bar = 10 cm. Picture credit: Richards et al.
Thapunngaka shawi
Pterosaur fossils from Australia are exceptionally rare. The light and hollow bones of flying reptiles rarely survive fossilisation, T. shawi is only the fourth pterosaur to have been described from the twenty fossil specimens attributed to members of the Pterosauria discovered in Australia.
Council worker and local fossil collector Len Shaw found the fossil bone ten years ago at a site known as the “water pond” at the “Free Fossil Hunting Site”, located seven miles northwest of the town of Richmond (Queensland). The strata at this site were laid down at the bottom of the Eromanga Sea (Toolebuc Formation) around 106 million years ago (Early Cretaceous). A researcher from the Kronosaurus Korner Museum was sent out to view and excavate the area and a scientific paper on T. shawi was published this week in the “Journal of Paleontology” with the collaboration of scientists from the University of Queensland.
PhD student Tim Richards (University of Queensland), poses with a cast of the skull and jaws of an anhanguerid pterosaur.
Commenting on the significance of the fossil discovery, one of the report’s authors, University of Queensland PhD student Tim Richards stated:
“By world standards, the Australian pterosaur record is poor, but the discovery of Thapunngaka contributes greatly to our understanding of Australian pterosaur diversity.”
“Shaw’s Spear Mouth”
The genus name is derived from the local aboriginal language of the Wanamara Nation, on whose land the holotype material was found. It translates as “spear mouth”, a reference to the sharp teeth that would have been located in the alveoli (tooth sockets) preserved on the fossil specimen. The species name honours Len Shaw.
Assigned to the Anhangueridae, Thapunngaka and other anhanguerid pterosaurs from Queensland help to demonstrate the global distribution of these types of flying reptile during the Cretaceous, with anhanguerids known from South America, Africa, Europe and Australia.
A phylogenetic assessment indicates that Thapunngaka was related to Tropeognathus from South America.
A pair of Mojo Fun Tropeognathus pterosaurs. The newly described Australian anhanguerid T. shawi would have looked similar to Tropeognathus.
The picture (above) shows a pair of Mojo Fun Tropeognathus pterosaur figures. This flying reptile figure was recently introduced into the Mojo Fun Prehistoric and Extinct range.
Of the four Australian pterosaurs named to date, three of them Mythunga, Ferrodraco and Thapunngaka have been assigned to the Anhangueridae family which suggests anhanguerids were the dominant group of Australian pterosaurs during the Early Cretaceous.
Aussiedraco molnari is the only non-anhanguerian pterosaur described so far from Australian fossil finds. This flying reptile has been assigned to the Targaryendraconia, a clade of pterosaurs that was created following a reassessment of ornithocheirid fossil material.
A List of the Australian Pterosaurs Described to Date:
Mythunga camara – a member of the Anhangueridae family, named and described in 2008 based on fossils from the Toolebuc Formation.
Ferrodraco lentoni – also an anhanguerid and believed to be the sister taxon of M. camara which was named and described in 2019: Australia’s Most Complete Pterosaur Fossil.
Thapunngaka shawi – the third anhanguerid to be described.
Aussiedraco molnari – named and described in 2011, also from the Toolebuc Formation.
The Largest Australian Pterosaur
Estimating the size of Thapunngaka with only a fossil fragment to study is challenging. The researchers compared the size and proportions of the mandible fossil with those of better-known and more complete anhanguerids. Although the authors of the scientific paper admit that there is not a strong relationship between mandible size and wingspan, they estimate that Thapunngaka could have had a wingspan from around 5.83 metres up to a massive 9.47 metres. The researchers suggest that Thapunngaka shawi is the largest pterosaur known from Australia.
Estimates of the wingspans of Australian anhanguerid pterosaurs. Based on a comparison of mandibles, Thapunngaka shawi is thought to have had a wingspan from 5.83 to 9.47 metres in diameter. Note scale bar = 1 metre. Picture credit: Richards et al with additional annotation from Everything Dinosaur.
The scientific paper: “A new species of crested pterosaur (Pterodactyloidea, Anhangueridae) from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) of Richmond, North West Queensland, Australia” by Timothy M. Richards, Paul E. Stumkat and Steven W. Salisbury published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Scientists have named a new species of dromaeosaurid from fragmentary jawbones found in Upper Cretaceous deposits in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais (south-eastern Brazil). Named Ypupiara lopai, this is the first dromaeosaurid described from fossils found in Maastrichtian-aged deposits in Brazil. Y. lopai has been classified as a member of the dromaeosaurid subfamily the Unenlagiinae, possibly a sister taxon to Austroraptor (A. cabazai), which is known from the Late Cretaceous of Argentina.
A life reconstruction of Ypupiara lopai. The shape and spacing of the teeth of this small dromaeosaurid suggest that it was a fish-eating dromaeosaurid. Picture credit: Guilherme Gehr.
Fragmentary Bones from the Jaws
A fragment of upper jaw and a piece of bone representing the back portion of the lower jaw (dentary), were found in close association and are believed to have come from a single animal. The fossils originate from the Marília Formation (Maastrichtian faunal stage).
The right maxilla of the newly described fish-eating dromaeosaurid Ypupiara lopai from Brazil. The maxilla (DGM 921-R), is shown in lateral view (A), medial view (B) and ventral view (C) with accompanying line drawings. Note scale bar = 1 cm. Sadly, this fossil and the portion of dentary were lost in a fire that took place in September 2018. Picture credit: Brum et al.
The researchers, writing in “Papers in Palaeontology”, conclude that these fossils represent the first evidence of unenlagiines from the Marília Formation (Bauru Group, Brazil) and the second confirmed evidence of this type of dromaeosaur in Brazil. Previously, a single dorsal vertebra from the geologically younger Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group) had been assigned to the Unenlagiinae subfamily. Numerous isolated teeth had hinted at the presence of dromaeosaurs including potential unenlagiines in the Late Cretaceous of Brazil, but Ypupiara is the first to be named and scientifically described.
Outlining the Unenlagiinae
The Dromaeosauridae consists of several subfamilies although the taxonomy of this geographically and temporally widespread family of theropod dinosaurs is subject to almost constant revision as more fossil discoveries are made around the world. The Unenlagiinae comprises 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 distribution may change as fossil specimens from Madagascar, Europe, Australia and North America have been putatively assigned to the Unenlagiinae.
The biggest member of this subfamily described to date is Austroraptor, which at five-metres long was much larger than Ypupiara. To read Everything Dinosaur’s article from 2008 about the discovery of Austroraptor: Introducing Austroraptor – Fearsome Predator of the Late Cretaceous.
Models of this kind of dromaeosaur are few and far between, but within the Beasts of the Mesozoic “Raptor” series, the Wetlands Accessory Pack features a replica of Buitreraptor, an unenlagiine from western Argentina known from deposits some 30 million years older than those associated with Ypupiara lopai.
The Beasts of the Mesozoic Buitreraptor gonzalezorum model from the Wetlands Accessory Pack.
The picture above shows an articulated dinosaur figure from the Beasts of the Mesozoic model series.
Analysis of the three teeth located in the upper jaw (shape and spacing along the jaw), suggests that Ypupiara was a piscivore (fish-eating). The strata associated with the fossil find, indicates that Ypupiara inhabited an alluvial floodplain with sediments extensively reworked by a braided river system. The genus name comes from the local Tupian dialect and refers to a mythical aquatic creature, a reference to the high probability that this little dinosaur lived near water. The species name honours Alberto Lopa, for his role in helping to map the geology of the state of Minas Gerais and in recognition of his discovery of the fragmentary bones that led to the erection of this new dinosaur genus.
Lost to Science
Sadly, the original fossils are no longer available to study. The fossil material was on loan to the Museu Nacional-Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro when fire destroyed the main building of the museum in September 2018, the fossils were not recovered and are considered to have been lost.
The scientific paper: “A New Unenlagiine (Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Brazil” by Arthur S. Brum, Rodrigo V. Pĕgas, Kamila L. Bandeira, Lucy G. Souza, Diogenes A. Campos and Alexander W. A. Kellner published in Papers in Palaeontology.
A stunning fossil of a beetle that had been on display at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Colorado), has been identified as a new species and named in honour of the English naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. Named Pulchritudo attenboroughi (Attenborough’s beauty), the fossil originates from the famous Green River Formation and it is believed to be around 49 million years old.
The stunning Pulchritudo attenboroughi fossil beetle from the Green River Formation of Colorado (USA). Picture credit: Krell and Vitali.
Incorrectly Labelled
In the Museum’s exhibition display the fossil was labelled as a longhorn beetle, however, Senior Curator of Entomology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Frank Krell had doubts so he invited Francesco Vitali of the National Museum of Natural History of Luxembourg, an authority of fossil beetles, to examine the fossil.
The crooked hind legs identified in the specimen, gave away the beetle’s true affinity. The fossil represents an example of a frog-legged beetle, a widespread family of beetles, which are sometimes referred to as kangaroo beetles, as they are found in Australia as well as Africa, Asia and South America.
Writing in the academic journal “Papers in Palaeontology”, the researchers concluded that the 2.2 cm long fossil represented a female frog-legged beetle from the subfamily Sagrinae. This is only the second known fossil representative of this beetle subfamily known from North America. Beetles of the subfamily Sagrinae are not found in North America today, but the authors noted that Atalasis sagroides from Argentina is remarkably similar to the fossil specimen.
Digital reconstruction of Pulchritudo attenboroughi based on the part and counterpart of the holotype fossil. Picture credit: Krell and Vitali.
Honouring Sir David Attenborough
Sir David Attenborough has been honoured on numerous occasions by having new species (living and extinct) named after him. For example, he has had a placoderm (Materpiscis attenboroughi), as well as the pliosaurid Attenborosaurus conybeari and a Cretaceous damselfly – Mesosticta davidattenboroughi named after him. Sir David might be ninety-five years young, but his influence on the scientific community as well as the wider public is undiminished.
In the scientific paper, naming and describing this new genus of beetle from the Eocene Epoch, the researchers wrote that the specific name attenboroughi is from the Latinised form of the surname Attenborough and they state that this fossil genera is:
“dedicated to Sir David Frederick Attenborough, broadcaster and naturalist, who has nothing to do with this fossil but has been inspiring the authors, their family down to the littlest, and millions of others by his unsurpassed documentaries on the natural world, extant and bygone. Nobody imparts the grandeur and beauty of nature more impressively than Sir David. This fossil, unique in its preservation and beauty, is an apt specimen to honour the great man”.
Still Enthusing about the Natural World. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
A genus of beetle from the Eocene honours Sir David Attenborough.
The scientific paper: “Attenborough’s beauty: exceptional pattern preservation in a frog‐legged leaf beetle from the Eocene Green River Formation, Colorado (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Sagrinae)” by Frank-Thorsten Krell and Francesco Vitali published in Papers in Palaeontology.
Scientists have examined the fossilised remains of a large ornithopod dinosaur, whose fragmentary remains were discovered in 1963 and concluded that these remains represent one of the “oldest” dinosaurs known to science. The fossils assigned to a basal member of the Hadrosauroidea known as Gobihadros mongoliensis are not that geologically old, this dinosaur roamed Mongolia around 93 million years ago, the important point to note is that the fossils come from a very aged dinosaur. These fossilised bones have provided palaeontologists with a unique insight into the ageing process of non-avian dinosaurs.
A life reconstruction of the basal hadrosauroid Gobihadros mongoliensis. The bones from an elderly dinosaur indicate that when fully grown Gobihadros was around 7.5 metres long. Picture credit: A. Kapuścińska.
Most Dinosaur Fossils Represent Young Animals
Palaeontologists classify vertebrate fossils such as dinosaur remains into three broad age categories. These categories are juvenile, subadult and adult. In the absence of a detailed assessment of bone structure examining lines of arrested growth (LAGs), that can provide a guide to the number of years an animal has lived, the age of the vertebrate is estimated by looking at the degree of ossification of the skeleton, the bone microstructure and the size of animal. Larger animals with more ossification present in their skeleton indicate older animals.
Most of the dinosaur fossil remains represent young animals such as subadults or juveniles. However, a team of scientists writing in the academic journal “Scientific Reports”, have published a paper looking at the fragmentary Gobihadros material that was discovered in 1963 and concluded that these bones represent a very aged dinosaur. How old is difficult to tell, but the presence of abnormal calcium deposits in some of its bones indicate that this Gobihadros suffered from a form of arthritis, which is found mostly in very old members of a population.
Probably Gobihadros mongoliensis
Elements representing limb bones, part of the left foot and nine tail bones (caudal vertebrae) have been preserved. The femur and tibia match fossil material assigned to Gobihadros (G. mongoliensis) which was named and described in 2019: A New Hadrosauroid Dinosaur from Mongolia.
As G. mongoliensis is the only large ornithopod known from the Baynshire Formation in the Khongil Tsav locality (Mongolia), where the fossils were found, the material has been assigned to this species. When first scientifically described in 2019, the holotype fossil material indicated a dinosaur around three metres in length, these fossils, representing a much larger animal suggest that Gobihadros grew to a maximum size of around 7.5 metres long.
The absence of open transcortical channels associated with the limb bones indicate that this dinosaur was very old when it died.
Views of the top end of the right femur (a-c) and the partial tibia (d-f) of the fragmentary bones attributed to G. mongoliensis. Picture (g) shows a close-up view of the top of the femur (proximal) open transcortical channels associated with bone growth are not found in the Gobihadros femur, but can be seen in the femur of a Protoceratops andrewsi shown for comparison (h). The white arrows in (h) mark the open transcortical channels. Picture credit: Slowiak et al.
Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystals Found
Traces of abnormal calcium deposits were identified in some of the bones. Computerised tomography (CT scans) revealed that this dinosaur suffered from a form of very painful arthritis called CPPD (calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition). These calcium crystals build up in the joints and lead to restricted movement, joint stiffness and considerable pain. This condition is found in our own species, it most often affects people in their late fifties.
Life reconstruction of Gobihadros mongoliensis with pathology including evidence of CPPD highlighted indicating that this dinosaur was very old when it died. Picture credit: Slowiak et al.
Co-author of the paper Dr Tomasz Szczygielski (Polish Academy of Sciences) commented:
“Dinosaurs in the reptile family tree are close to birds, but some of their characteristics, such as metabolism, refer to mammals. That is why it is still difficult for us to interpret how these organisms aged”.
The fossilised remains of this elderly dinosaur are currently on display at the Museum of Evolution at the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw (Poland). The scientists hope that further research using other museum specimens may provide more information on how dinosaurs aged and this might provide an insight into why some kinds of archosaur such as the crocodiles survived the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event but the non-avian dinosaurs did not.
The scientific paper: “Dinosaur senescence: a hadrosauroid with age-related diseases brings a new perspective of “old” dinosaurs” by Justyna Słowiak, Tomasz Szczygielski, Bruce M. Rothschild & Dawid Surmik published in the journal Scientific Reports.
