Many new references

[Markus Moser <m.moser@lrz.uni-muenchen.de>]

Greetings!

A whole bunch of dinosaur (-related) papers appeared recently. Apologies
in advance if some have been mentioned previously.


F. M. Dalla Vecchia (2002): Cretaceous dinosaurs in the Adriatic-Dinaric
carbonate platform (Italy and Croatia): paleoenvironmental implications
and paleogeographical hypotheses. - Memorie della Società Geologica
Italiana, 57 (1): 89-100, 4 figs.; Roma.

-- paleobiogeography of European Cretaceous dinosaur faunas based on
footprint and osteo-evidence.

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F. M. Dalla Vecchia (2002): Terrestrial reptiles in the Norian of the
Carnian pre-Alps (Friuli, NE Italy): paleoenvironmental implications. -
Memorie della Società Geologica Italiana, 57 (1): 101-106, 4 figs.;
Roma.

-- includes discussion of dinosaur footprints.

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Ji G., Yuan Ch., Ji X., Qiu J. (2003): On the origin of birds' flight.
[Chinese w. Engl. abstr.]. - Geological Review, 49 (1): 1-3, 1 Abb.;
Beijing.

Abstract: In this paper, two traditional hypotheses for the origin of
birds' flight, namely the "Arboreal" hypothesis and the "cursorial"
hypothesis are introduced. According to the fingings of feathered
dinosaurs and primitive avialian birds in western Liaoning, it is more
likely that the ancestors of birds used a combination of taking off from
the ground and taking advantage of accessible heights (such as hills,
cliffs, large boulders, or fallen trees). It seems not necessary that
the ancestors of birds must climb trees to assist flight.

-- picture is Archaeopteryx catching insects from Currie 1991.

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Zhu G.-b. & Zhou S.-q. (2002): Late Cretcaeous strata in Wulichuan
basin, Henan Province. [Chinese w. Engl. abstr.]. - Geology and Mineral
Resources of South China, 2002 (4): 28-34, 1 fig., 2 tabs.; Yichang.

Abstract: The red coarse-grainded clastic rock series in the Wulichuan
basin of central-east Qinling orogenic belt is a kind of molasse
formation. According to finding of a few dinosar eggs and spores,
together with isotopic ages and analyzing of evolution history of the
basin, it is concluded that the red strata belong to middle-early
Cretaceous deposition and suggest that the "Majuacun Formation", "Gaogou
Formation", "Sanwan Formation", "Sangping Formation" and "Huangsha
Formation" should be canceled and the "Zhuyangguan Formation" can be
used instead.

-- mentioned taxa include Nanyangosaurus Zhugeii and ootaxa Ovaloolithus
sp., O. sangpingensis, Paraspheroolithus sp. [also spelled
Pasaspheroolithus], P. shizuwanensis, Youngoolithus sp., Y.
xiaguanensis, Faveoloolithus sp., and Dendroolithus sp.

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Ji Q., Ji S.-a., Yuan C.-x. & Ji X.-x. (2002): Restudy on a small
dromaeosaurid dinosaur with feathers over its entire body. - Earth
Science Frontiers, 9 (3): 57-63, 6 figs. [phot.]; Beijing.

Abstract: This paper deals with a small dromaeosaurid dinosaur with
feathers over its entire body (NGMC91), which has been studied and
reported by Ji et al. in 2001. According to some characteristics of its
skull and postcranial skeleton, this dromaeosaurid dinosaur should be
surely designated into Genus Sinornithosaurus (Xu et al., 1999).
Although there exist some differences between this animal and
Sinornithosaurus millenii (Xu et al., 1999) in their characters, it is
very difficult to decide whether these differences are caused by their
ontogenetic stages or not, because the dromaeosaurid dinosaur studied
herein is considered to be a sub-adult individual. Therefore, this small
theropod dinosaur is considered as an indeterminate species of Genus
Sinornithosaurus. In addition, some problems of the origin and early
evolution of feathers are also briefly discussed in this paper. The
myriad [!!!] findings of flightless dinosaurus with feathers from
western Liaoning, which have been shown by independent phylogenetic
studies outside of the Avialae, provide important evidence that the
origin of feathers is unrelated to the origin of flight in the Avialae.

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Along with Frank Seebacher's paper on dinosaur body temperature
(http://www.cmnh.org/dinoarch/2003Feb/msg00028.html) there is another
paper:

A. K. Behrensmeyer, C. T. Stayton & R. E. Chapman (2003): Taphonomy and
ecology of modern avifaunal remains from Amboseli Park, Kenya. -
Paleobiology, 29 (1): 52-70, 11 figs., 4 tabs.; Lawrence.

>From Abstract: ... The documented bone sample is biased toward large
body size, representation of open grassland habitats, and grazing or
scavenging diets ....

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H. Haubold & H. Klein (2002): Chirotherien und Grallatoriden aus der
Unteren bis Oberen Trias Mitteleuropas und die Entstehung der
Dinosauria. - Hallesches Jahrbuch für Geowissenschaften , Reihe B, 24:
1-22, 12 Abb.; Halle.

-- From a succession of 12 track horizons spanning Middle Buntsandstein
(Olenekian) through Middle Keuper (Norian) in Thuringia and Bavaria
(Germany) the ichnotaxa Chirotherium, Rotodactylus, Sphingopus,
Parachirotherium, Atreipus, and Grallator are described morphologically
and are compared to synapomorphies of Ornithodira (Rotodactylus?),
Dinosauriformes (last four ichnogenera), and Dinosauria. Chirotherium
barthii is recognized as ideal ancestor to Ornithodira and Crurotarsi;
the first dinosaur is recognized with Grallator from Carnian deposits.

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F. Knoll (2002): New skull of Lesothosaurus (Dinosauria: Ornithischia)
from the Upper Elliot Formation (Lower Jurassic) of southern Africa. -
Geobios, 35 (5): 595-603, 2 figs., 1 tab.; Villeurbanne.

-- A new and larger skull is compared to existing material; in
conclusion it cannot be assigned to Lesothosaurus diagnosticus with
confidence, and may pertain to an undescribed 'large fabrosaur' from the
same formation.

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L. Salgado (2003): Should we abandon the name Titanosauridae? Some
comments on the taxonomy of titanosaurian sauropods (Dinosauria). -
Revista Española de Paleontología, 18 (1): 15-21, 1 fig.; Madrid.
(28.2.2003).

-- After discussing historical confusion of "Definitions" and concepts
of  the taxon Titanosauridae, Salgado proposes to define several taxa
using PhyloCode principles, among these also some new taxa: Titanosauria
(= Somphospondylia closer to Saltasaurus than to Euhelopus),
Titanosauroidea (= Titanosauria closer to Saltasaurus than to
Andesaurus), Andesauroidea nov. (= Titanosauria closer to Andesaurus
than to Saltasaurus), Titanosauridae (node Epachthosaurus +
Saltasaurus), Epachthosaurinae nov. (Titanosauridae closer to E. than to
Saltasaurus), Eutitanosauria (Titanosauridae closer to Saltasaurus than
to Epachthosaurus), Saltasaurinae (Eutitanosauria closer to Saltasaurus
than to Opisthocoelicaudia), and Opisthocoelicaudiinae (Eutitanosauria
closer to Opisthocoelicaudia than to Saltasaurus). Laplatasaurus is
reinstated and includes L. araukanicus Huene, while Titanosaurus
(indicus) is abandoned as there are 'no valid diagnostic characters'.

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P. Christiansen & N. Bonde (2003): The first dinosaur from Denmark. -
Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen, 227 (2):
287-299, 4 figs.; Stuttgart.

-- Formal description of Dromaeosauroides bornholmensis n. g. n. sp.,
mentioned on DML in previous posts discussing another paper
(http://www.cmnh.org/dinoarch/2003Mar/msg00348.html)
holotype and only specimen: 1 tooth (Geological Museum Copenhagen), from
Lower Cretaceous Jydegaard Formation (Berriasian-Valanginian);
Robbedale, Isle of Bornholm, Denmark.



Best regards

Dr. Markus Moser
Bayerische Staatssammlung fuer Palaeontologie und Geologie
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet Muenchen, Department fuer
Geo- und Umweltwissenschaften, Sektion Palaeontologie
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10
D-80333 Muenchen
Germany