New Dino Papers: J. of Paleontology, J. of Systematic Paleontology

["bh480@scn.org" <bh480@scn.org>]

From: Ben Creisler bh480@scn.org
In case these have not been mentioned yet:


T. S. KUTTY, SANKAR CHATTERJEE, PETER M. GALTON, and PAUL 
UPCHURCH.  BASAL SAUROPODOMORPHS (DINOSAURIA: SAURISCHIA) FROM THE 
LOWER JURASSIC OF INDIA: THEIR ANATOMY AND RELATIONSHIPS 
Journal of Paleontology 81(6): 1218-1240 

The Upper Dharmaram Formation (Lower Jurassic, Sinemurian) 
of India has yielded three sauropodomorph dinosaurs, two 
new taxa and an indeterminate one. Lamplughsaura 
dharmaramensis n. gen. and sp., represented by several 
partial skeletons, is a heavily built quadrupedal form 
(body length 10 m). Autapomorphies include teeth with 
strongly emarginated distal edge; caudal cervical neural 
spines bearing a vertically oriented ligamentous furrow on 
cranial and caudal surfaces and a transversely expanded 
spine table; caudal neural spines bearing a craniodorsally 
directed spur (proximal caudal vertebrae) or a large 
process (midcaudal vertebrae); caudal neural spines 
shorter than transverse processes so former lost first in 
passing along tail; and a plesiomorphy that is the 
nontrenchant form of manual ungual I. The Indian dinosaurs 
were coded for two recent datamatrices for basal 
sauropodomorphs. The results of this preliminary analysis 
indicate that Lamplughsaura is either a basal Sauropoda 
or, less likely, based on Templeton's test, a stem 
sauropodomorph. The second large form, represented by the 
proximal half of a femur, is a sauropodomorph that is more 
derived than Saturnalia (Brazil) and Thecodontosaurus 
(Great Britain) from the Upper Triassic. This is also true 
for the smaller (body length 4 m as adult) Pradhania 
gracilis n. gen. and sp. which lies outside of the 
Sauropoda + Plateosauria clade, so it is definitely a stem 
sauropodomorph. Pradhania is known from fragmentary 
material; an autapomorphy is the very prominent medial 
longitudinal ridge on the maxilla. 

CHRISTINE LIPKIN, B, PAUL C. SERENO, and JOHN R. HORNER. 
THE FURCULA IN SUCHOMIMUS TENERENSIS AND TYRANNOSAURUS REX 
(DINOSAURIA: THEROPODA: TETANURAE) 
Journal of Paleontology 81(6): 1523-1527 

RODOLFO A. CORIA and LUIS M. CHIAPPE. EMBRYONIC SKIN FROM LATE CRETACEOUS
SAUROPODS (DINOSAURIA) OF AUCA MAHUEVO, PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA. 
Journal of Paleontology 81(6): 1528-1532
We describe the integumentary anatomy of titanosaur 
sauropod embryos from the Auca Mahuevo nesting site. 
Natural (calcitic) casts of the skin show the non- 
imbricating, tuberculate scales (i.e., tubercles) typical 
of other non-avian dinosaurs. However, a variety of scale 
patterns previously unknown for the skin of these animals 
is reported. The observed integumentary patterns include 
ground tubercles, large and elongated tubercles, parallel 
rows of large tubercles, tubercles in rosette-like and 
flower-like arrangements, and in striate-like rows. Ground 
tubercles and rosette-like patterns resemble the few 
examples of skin known for adult sauropods. The former 
pattern also resembles the arrangement of osteoderms of 
the armored titanosaur Saltasaurus. Although the embryonic 
skin does not show definitive evidence of armor, the 
posthatching development of osteoderms cannot be ruled 
out. This material, the only available evidence of the 
embryonic skin of non-avian dinosaurs, contributes 
significantly to our knowledge of the integumentary 
morphology of these animals. 



Journal of Systematic Palaeontology  (advance publication)
Matthew T. Carrano and Scott D. Sampson. THE PHYLOGENY OF CERATOSAURIA
(DINOSAURIA: THEROPODA). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology  (advance
publication)
Abstract 

Recent discoveries and analyses have drawn increased 
attention to Ceratosauria, a taxonomically and 
morphologically diverse group of basal theropods. By the 
time of its first appearance in the Late Jurassic, the 
group was probably globally distributed. This pattern 
eventually gave way to a primarily Gondwanan distribution 
by the Late Cretaceous. Ceratosaurs are one of several 
focal groups for studies of Cretaceous palaeobiogeography 
and their often bizarre morphological developments 
highlight their distinctiveness. Unfortunately, lack of 
phylogenetic resolution, shifting views of which taxa fall 
within Ceratosauria and minimal overlap in coverage 
between systematic studies, have made it difficult to 
explicate any of these important evolutionary patterns. 
Although many taxa are fragmentary, an increase in new, 
more complete forms has clarified much of ceratosaur 
anatomy, allowed the identification of additional 
materials and increased our ability to compare specimens 
and taxa. We studied nearly 40 ceratosaurs from the Late 
Jurassic?Late Cretaceous of North and South America, 
Europe, Africa, India and Madagascar, ultimately selecting 
18 for a new cladistic analysis. The results suggest that 
Elaphrosaurus and its relatives are the most basal 
ceratosaurs, followed by Ceratosaurus and Noasauridae + 
Abelisauridae (= Abelisauroidea). Several additional forms 
were identified as noasaurids, including Genusaurus. 
Within Abelisauridae, our analysis reveals a clade 
including Majungasaurus and the Indian forms, as well as a 
more weakly supported clade comprising Carnotaurus and 
Ilokelesia. These results greatly clarify the sequence of 
character acquisition leading to, and within, 
Abelisauroidea. Thanks to new noasaurid materials 
(particularly Masiakasaurus), numerous formerly ambiguous 
characters can now be resolved as either abelisaurid, 
noasaurid or abelisauroid synapomorphies. Skull and 
forelimb shortening, for example, now appear to be 
features confined to Abelisauridae. Nevertheless, a great 
deal of phylogenetic resolution is lacking, particularly 
among noasaurids, which hampers attempts to glean 
meaningful biogeographical information from the phylogeny. 
As a result, temporal and geographical sampling biases are 
probably contributing to the apparent patterns in the data 
and we suggest that definitive answers must await new 
discoveries. None of the recent ceratosaurian discoveries 
bear directly on the controversy surrounding latest 
Cretaceous ceratosaur biogeography. 





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