RE: RAJASAURUS

["Todd Marshall" <toddsmarshall@earthlink.net>]

See, my brain is over worked this morning. My sincere apologies, Rutger!!

Todd

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
fam jansma
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 12:44 PM
To: DML
Subject: Re: RAJASAURUS


> I asked Paul about this: Paul believes that on abelisaurs that the number
IV
> digit is probably covered and hidden in the hand. You might see a bulge
> there, but the digit would be covered by flesh.

I see a small bulge, but it is really difficult to see, so no wonder
everybody misses it.

> I've also illustrated another new abelisaur for Paul with the manus like
this (the fourth digit
> covered), but you'll have to wait for the press release on that critter.
It
> is more along the lines of sleek and agile than this little "Hulk" of a
> theropod.
>
Must be one of those African abelisaurs Mickey wrote about...

Here's the abstract title from the 2002 SVP:
Sereno, 2002. ABELISAURID THEROPODS FROM AFRICA: PHYLOGENETIC AND
BIOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

The brief description:

Sereno et al. spoke about new African ceratosaurs.
One is from the Neocomian Tiouraren Formation of Niger.  It consists of a
complete presacral series and a sacrum.  The cervicals have large
epipophyses, elongate centra, an interzygopophyseal lamina and double
pleurocoels.  The dorsals are not pneumatic and have elongate cylindrical
parapophyses.  The sacrum shows ossified tendons on the neural spines.  It
was concluded this form was most similar to Ceratosaurus, and especially
Elaphrosaurus.  Sereno alluded to previous Early Cretaceous African
"Elaphrosaurus" remains relating to this taxon.
Another taxon was from the Cenomanian Echkar Formation of Niger.  It
consists of most of the skull, including the premaxilla, maxilla, nasal and
braincase.  Looks very much like Indosuchus (which Carrano et al. are
calling Lametasaurus).  Features include a sagittal crest on the parietals,
textured cranial elements, and a large anteroposterior row of foramina on
the dorsal surface of each nasal.  The postorbital and lacrimal contact
lateral to the frontal, but there is a foramen present between the three
bones.  It's apparently just basal to abelisaurids.
A third taxon was not described, but was said to be small and known from
axial and limb elements.  It's from the Elrhaz Formation of Niger (I think)

So Todd....pick one ;-)

BTW, it's not FAM! :-(

Cheers,

Rutger Jansma