Although the various specimens "lack evidence of osteological immaturity
suggestive of a juvenile condition" (in the paleobiogeography section), I
don't see where this is addressed elsewhere in the paper.
There is no histological analysis of the bones to attempt ID of an EFS,
nor is the condition of neural arch fusion stated (although this is not
entirely reliable as a maturity indicator anyway). Sacral count seems low
for a hadrosauroid (consistent with juve status), and the skull seems
unfused. Hence a non-juvenile status cannot be supported from the evidence
presented.
A "mixture of derived... and primitive characters" is often a good
indication of non-maturity in dinosaurs (as Padian said in his ?2007 or
2008? SVP talk). If indeed the specimen is a dwarf, then this may explain
juvenile characters, but a dwarf adult should show an EFS and the paper
does not address this.
Maybe this is addressed in the follow-up description of the postcrania.
----------------------------------
Denver Fowler
df9465@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.denverfowler.com
-----------------------------------
----- Original Message ----
From: "heby@libero.it" <heby@libero.it>
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Sent: Mon, 14 December, 2009 5:17:32
Subject: R: The new dinosaur Tethyshadros insularis
Here's some info:
http://news.discovery.com/dinosaurs/meet-antonio--a-new-
italian-dinosaur.html
Cheers,
Lukas Panzarin