Latest JVP

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

Two new Mesozoic dinosaur papers in the latest Journal of Vertebrate
Paleontology:

RODOLFO A. CORIA, LUIS M. CHIAPPE, and LOWELL DINGUS.  2002. A new close
relative of Carnotaurus sastrei Bonaparte 1985 (Theropoda: Abelisauridae)
from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia.  JVP 22:460-465.

Formally names Aucasaurus garridoi: ?Auca,? from Mapuche language, in
reference to Auca Mahuevo, the fossil locality where the specimen was found;
?saurus,? from the Greek, lizard; ?garridoi,? in homage to Mr. Alberto
Garrido, who discovered the holotype.  From the Anacleto Member of the Río
Colorado Formation, Campanian, Upper Cretaceous.

Also formally names Carnotaurini: Carnotaurini is phylogenetically defined
as the common ancestor of Carnotaurus sastrei and Aucasaurus garridoi plus
all the descendants of this ancestor.  This clade is recognized by the
presence of hyposphene?hypantrum articulations in the proximal and middle
sections of the caudal series, and cranial processes in the epipophyses of
the cervical vertebrae.

A substantial fraction of the animal was recovered.  It has the amazingly
reduced forelimb also found in Carnotaurus: could be a carnotaurinin
synapomorphy, but without arms known or described for other abelisaurids it
is difficult to say at present.  Great legs, too!

And, for those who prefer prey to predators:

FABIEN KNOLL.  2002.  Nearly Complete Skull of Lesothosaurus (Dinosauria:
Ornithischia) from the Upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic: Hettangian)
of Lesotho.  JVP 22: 238?243.

Title says it all: mostly anatomical descriptions of a nice little subadult
individual.  Mentions that study of the ?large fabrosaurid? specimen, NM QR
3076, is underway, and may be a second species but is darn close to
Lesothosaurus diagnosticus.

There's other good things in this issue, but I've got work to do now.  Take
care, everyone.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796