Re: ALBERTOSAURUS

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <th81@umail.umd.edu>]

At 03:40 PM 9/28/97 -0700, Glenn wrote:

>> Note: most references to "Albertosaurus" are inaccurate.  They in fact are
>> specimens of the genus Gorgosaurus, a distinct form.  True Albertosaurus (A.
>> sarcophagus) is best known from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation of Alberta,
>> which has very few fossil-bearing equivalents in the U.S. (the Meeteetsee
>> Fm. being one).
llege Park, MD  20742       Fax:  301-314-9661
>
>Thanks for the info. One lister was kind enough to put me on to the
>DINOSAUR UNIVERSITY (AUBURN UNIVERSITY) where Dr. King describes an
>Albertosaurus find in 1982 around Montgomery, Alabama. As a professional
>paleontologist, is there contention that this find may be something
>other than Albertosaurus? Let me know what you think if you get a
>chance.

I am, in fact, one of the very, very few professional tyrannosaurid
paleontologists.

Almost every reference to "Albertosaurus" between 1970 and the present is
actually to Gorgosaurus.  I have not seen (in person) the Alabama specimen,
so I can't say for certain, but chances are pretty good it is a Gorgosaurus
rather than an Albertosaurus (although it could be the latter, or even
another tyrannosaurid taxon).

Good cranial material would help resolve this, although there are a few
postcranial synapomorphies in Gorgosaurus.

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