RE: Ghost Ranch fauna

["R. Irmis" <rbi@dana.ucc.nau.edu>]

<<Doug Henderson has covered this territory numerous times in perhaps the
greatest series of restorations of our time. See this page at his website
for a listing of his illustrated books. I particularly recommend _Dawn of
the Dinosaurs_>>

Actually, most of these wonderful pieces of art depict scenes in the
Petrified Forest member (or formation if you elevate the Chinle to Group
status, which I advocate) of the Chinle.  The Ghost Ranch fauna is from the
Rock Point member, which is significantly higher in the strat. section.
Besides Coelophysis there are pseudopalatine grade phytosaurs
(Pseudopalatus, Redondasaurus).  Also, Hesperosuchus (both skeletal elements
and isolated scutes) has been recovered from GR blocks.  Rumors of
rauisuchians from Ghost Ranch are unsubstantiated as far as I can tell,
although it would be a pretty good bet that they were part of the fauna.  I
would also bet that there were aetosaurs, but again, there are no fossils
from that specific locality. Just please, please don't put in Placerias, as
it is really only known from the lower part of the Chinle.  There is some
very interesting undescribed material, but of course Im not at liberty to
discuss it.  Contact me offlist if you like some refs.

Regards,
Randall Irmis