New Papers

["Jerry D. Harris" <jharris@dixie.edu>]

Barrett, P. M. 2004. Sauropodomorph dinosaur diversity in the upper Elliot 
Formation (_Massospondylus_ range zone: Lower Jurassic) of South Africa. 
South African Journal of Science 100:501-503.

ABSTRACT:  A previously undescribed sauropodomorph dinosaur skull collected 
from the upper Elliot Formation (_Massospondylus_ range zone) of South 
Africa is shown to be morphologically distinct from the widespread sympatric 
genus _Massospondylus_. Consequently, the generic-level diversity of basal 
sauropodomorphs in the Lower
Jurassic dinosaur fauna of this region was higher than supposed previously. 
This unnamed taxon may represent either a new genus, new material of an 
established lower Elliot Formation (_Euskelosaurus_ range zone) 
sauropodomorph or cranial elements of a genus currently regarded as 
synonymous with _Massospondylus_. As a result, this specimen has important 
implications for upper Elliot Formation palaeoecology and for the use of 
sauropodomorph dinosaurs in biostratigraphical correlations.



Yates, A.M., Hancox, P.J., and Rubidge, B.S. 2004. First record of a 
sauropod dinosaur from the upper Elliot Formation (Early Jurassic) of South 
Africa. South African Journal of Science 100: 504-506.



Clarke, A. H. 2005. On the vestibular labyrinth of _Brachiosaurus brancai_. 
Journal of Vestibular Research 15:65-71.

ABSTRACT:  The extensive remains of large sauropods, excavated in the Upper 
Jurassic layers of the Tendaguru region of Tanzania, East Africa by Janensch 
[15], include an intact fossil cast of a vestibular labyrinth and an 
endocast of the large _Brachiosaurus brancai_. The approximately 150 million 
year old labyrinth cast demonstrates clearly a form and organisation 
congruent in detail to those of extant vertebrate species. Besides the 
near-orthogonal arrangement of semicircular canals (SCCs), the superior and 
inferior branches of the vestibulo-acoustic nerve, the endolymphatic duct, 
the oval and round windows, and the cochlea can be identified. The 
orientation of the labyrinth in the temporal bone is also equivalent to that 
of many extant vertebrates. Furthermore, the existence of the twelve cranial 
nerves can be identified from the endocast.
    The present study was initiated after the photogrammetric measurement 
of the skeleton volume of _B. brancai_ [13] yielded a realistic estimate of 
body mass (74.42 metric tons). Dimensional analysis shows that body mass and 
average SCC dimensions of _B. brancai_ generally fit with the allometric 
relationship found in previous studies of extant species. However, the 
anterior SCC is significantly larger than the allometric relationship would 
predict. This would indicate greater sensitivity, supporting the idea that 
the behavioural repertoire must have included much slower pitch movements of 
the head. These slower movements would most likely have involved flexion of 
the neck, rather than head pitching about the atlas joint. Pursuing the 
relationship between body mass and SCC dimensions further, the SCC frequency 
response is estimated by scaling up from the SCC dimensions of the rhesus 
monkey; this yields a range between 0.008-26 Hz, approximately one octave 
lower than for humans.



Pereda Suberbiola, X., P. Dantas, P. M. Galton, and J. L. Sanz. 2005. 
Autopodium of the holotype of _Dracopelta zbyszewskii_ (Dinosauria, 
Ankylosauria) and its type horizon and locality (Upper Jurassic: Tithonian, 
western Portugal). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie 
Abhandlungen 235:175-196.



Sharma, N., R. K. Kar, A. Agarwal, and R. Kar. 2005. Fungi in dinosaurian 
(_Isisaurus_) coprolites from the Lameta Formation (Maastrichtian) and its 
reflection on food habit and environment. Micropaleontology 51:73-82.

ABSTRACT:  Plant pathogens _Colletotrichum_ causing leaf spot and red rot 
disease, _Erysiphe_ and _Uncinula_ responsible for producing powdery mildews 
and microthyriaceous ascostromata making black spot on leaves were recovered 
from the Group A type of coprolite of Matley from the Lameta Formation. This 
was supposed to be voided by _Isisaurus_ (_Titanosaurus_) belonging to 
sauropods. The presence of these fungi in the coprolites indicates that the 
said dinosaur ate the leaves. As these pathogens occur in all types of 
plants it is postulated that the Isisaurus used its long, slender neck to 
browse the trees like modern camels and giraffes. The coprolites also 
yielded _Glomus_ - a mycorrhizal fungus which probably penetrated into it 
after it was voided on the surface. On the basis of epiphyllous fungi it is 
postulated that the dinosaurs lived in a tropical-subtropical climate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jerry D. Harris
Director of Paleontology
Dixie State College
Science Building
225 South 700 East
St. George, UT  84770
Phone: (435) 652-7758
Fax: (435) 656-4022
E-mail: jharris@dixie.edu
and     dinogami@hotmail.com
http://cactus.dixie.edu/jharris/

An expert is a man who has made all
the mistakes that can be made in a very
narrow field. -- Niels Bohr

After one look at this planet any visitor
from outer space would say "I want to
see the manager." -- William Burroughs