Re: Manidens. new Jurassic heterodontosaurid from Argentina

[Tim Williams <tijawi@gmail.com>]

James Stearns <jstea003@odu.edu>:

> Ironically, Novas (2009, in "Dinosaurs of South America") suggested
> that _Condorraptor_ might fall within _Piatnitzkysaurus_, leaving only
> one theropod.


Yes, although Novas (2009) doesn't formally sink _Condorraptor_ into
_Piatnitzkysaurus_, he does everything but:


     "_Condorraptor_ strongly resembles _Piatnitzkysaurus_, which is
found in almost the same beds
      and fossil locality.  Rauhut thinks, however, that the two taxa
are different and that their close
      resemblance is due to their similar position within theropod
phylogeny.  Rauhut found some
      distinctions between the two tetanuran taxa,such as a less
well-developed cnemial crest in
      _Condorraptor_ (different from the rectangular-shaped and
cranially projected cnemial crest of
      _Piatnitzkysaurus_) and a first sacral vertebra with a shallower
infraprezygapophyseal fossa
      (different from the very deep and tunnel-like fossa of
_Piatnitzkysaurus_).  Even so, in my view,
      such differences are better interpreted as the result of
individual variation within the population
      of a single theropodan species (e.g., _Piatnitzkysaurus floresi_)."





Cheers

Tim