Re: Vampire-osaurs?

[Mickey Mortimer <Mickey_Mortimer111@msn.com>]

Amtoine Grant wrote-

> Does anybody recall an article on exn.ca/Discovery Channel about
> theropod teeth with grooves like living poisonous reptiles? Was it ever
> stated what family of theropods these teeth belonged to?

undescribed coelurosaur (Rodriguez 1999)
Late Campanian, Late Cretaceous
El Gallo Formation, Mexico
Material- (FCM 06/053) tooth (~20 mm, 9.5 mm FABL)
Description- The second tooth type belongs to an unknown theropod family. It
is represented by an isolated, laterally compressed crown lacking the tip.
However, it seems sharply pointed and strongly recurved distally. Both
carinae preserve just the denticle bases. The anterior denticles are minute
compared to the posterior ones. However, at least the distal half of the
posterior carina preserves the denticle bases within a well developed
longitudinal groove. Some of the features, such as denticulation size and
shape recall the teeth of Saurorniholestes langstoni. However, the presence
of the groove on the posterior carina, makes it a distinct feature not
recognizable at the moment in any other theropod taxa, also the function of
this groove remains unknown.
References- Rodriguez, 1999. Theropod teeth from the Late Cretaceous El
Gallo Formation, Baja California, Mexico. VII International Symposium on
Mesozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems, abstracts.
Rodriguez-de la Rosa and Aranda-Manteca, 2000. Were there venomous
theropods? JVP 20(3) 64A.

The high DSDI could indicate basal dromaeosaur or 'richardoestesiid'
affinities.

Mickey Mortimer
Undergraduate, Earth and Space Sciences
University of Washington
The Theropod Database - http://students.washington.edu/eoraptor/Home.html