Re: Herrerasaurus

[Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)]

>
>     First of all, thanks to eveybody who sent me references.  I've got 
>enough Herrasaurus references at least to get started.  The most useful 
>references are Sereno & Nova's papers in Science (1992, 258: 1137-1140) 
>and JVP (1993, 13(4): 400-476) dealing largely with the most recently 
>discovered and spectacular H.ischigualastensis (PVSJ 407).  Some interesting 
>points:
>      Sereno and Novas consider Herrerasaurus not only to be a true 
>saurischian ("subnarial foramen between the premaxilla and maxilla, 
>hyposphene-hypantrum articulations in the dorsal vertebrae, epipophyses 
>on mid- and posterior cervical vertebrae, and an elongate manus that 
>approaches or exceeds half the length of the proximal part of the 
>forelimb" Science article, p 1139) but imply that it is a true (basal) 
>theropod as well ("pubic foot, elongate prezygapophyses in the distal 
>caudal vertebrae" Science, p 1139) rather than a basal dinosaur 
>independant of either Saurischia and Ornithischia.

Note that Holtz & Padian (abstract in 1995 SVP volume) question some of the
conclusions of Sereno et al. (although they may, in fact, be correct).

Also, a new herrerasaurid (Chindesaurus) was named in the big green Murry &
Long volume on Triassic tetrapods of the southwestern U.S. (of which I
MUST get a copy)

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist
Dept. of Geology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742
Email:Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)
Fax: 301-314-9661
Phone:301-405-4084