Xuwulong, new Chinese hadrosauriform and other new papers

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler
bh480@scn.org

In case this new ornithopod from China has not been 
mentioned yet:

You Hailu, Li Daqing, and Liu Weichang (2011)
A New Hadrosauriform Dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous 
of Gansu Province, China
You Hailu, Li Daqing, and Liu Weichang (2011)

Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition) 85(1): 51-57, 
February 2011
Article first published online: 31 JAN 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-6724.2011.00377.x
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-
6724.2011.00377.x/abstract


A new basal hadrosauriform dinosaur, Xuwulong yueluni 
gen. et sp. nov., is reported based on an articulated 
specimen including a complete cranium, almost complete 
axial skeleton, and complete left pelvic girdle. The 
specimen is recovered from the Early Cretaceous Yujingzi 
Basin in the Jiuquan area, Gansu Province of northwestern 
China. Xuwulong is among the most basal members of 
hadrosauriform dinosaurs, and distinguished by its unique 
lower jaw in having a V-shaped rostral end of the dentary 
in lateral view and a mandibular articular surface which 
levels with mid-height of the dentary ramus, as well as 
an enlarged and downturned prepubic process. Including 
Xuwulong, three basal hadrosauriforms have been 
discovered from the Early Cretaceous Xinminpu Group in 
the Mazongshan area, making it an important area to study 
the origin and early evolution of duck-billed dinosaurs.



Also new:

Ji Yannan, Wang Xuri, LIiu Yongqing, JI Qiang (2011)
Systematics, Behavior and Living Environment of 
Shantungosaurus Giganteus (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae)
Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition) 85(1): 58-65 
(February 2011)
Article first published online: 31 JAN 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-6724.2011.00378.x
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-
6724.2011.00378.x/abstract

On the basis of the taphonomy, osteological anatomy and 
ontogenetic variation, Zhuchengosaurus maximus Zhao et 
al., 2007 is considered to be synonymic with 
Shantungosaurus giganteus Hu, 1973 herein. This paper 
also deals with the life behavior of S. giganteus and the 
environment in which S. giganteus lived. S. giganteus is 
considered to be a terrestrial and gregarious herbivorous 
dinosaur and lived in hills and intervales in warm 
weather with plentiful rain and flourishing vegetation.

Kohei Tanaka, LÜ Junchang, Yoshitsugu Kobayshi, Dark K. 
Zelenitsky, Xu Li, Jia Songhai, Qin Shuang, Tang Min'an 
(2011)
Description and Phylogenetic Position of Dinosaur 
Eggshells from the Luanchuan Area of Western Henan 
Province, China.
Acta Geologica Sinica (English Edition) 85(1): 66-74 
(February 2011)
Article first published online: 31 JAN 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-6724.2011.00379.x
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1755-
6724.2011.00379.x/abstract

Here, we examine 145 dinosaur eggshells from a new fossil 
locality in the Qiupa Formation (Upper Cretaceous) of the 
Luanchuan area in western Henan Province, China. The 
eggshells display elongatoolithid macro- and 
microstructures, including ridges and nodes on the outer 
surface, two ultrastructural layers, and an undulatory 
boundary between the mammillary and continuous layers. A 
phylogenic analysis shows that the Luanchuan eggshells 
belong to the ooclade Elongatoolithidae. Within 
Elongatoolithidae, the thickness ratio of the mammillary 
layer to the entire eggshell, and the porosity of the 
Luanchuan eggshells are comparable to the oogenera 
Macroolithus and Elongatoolithus. There is no direct 
evidence for the taxonomic identity of the Luanchuan 
eggshells; however, they were likely laid by oviraptorids 
based on their phylogenetic position and their 
similarities with known oviraptorid eggs.

Bernat Vila, Violeta Riera, Ana María Bravo, Oriol Oms, 
Enric Vicens,  Rita Estrada,  and Angel Galobart (2011) 
The chronology of dinosaur oospecies in south-western 
Europe: refinements from the Maastrichtian succession of 
the eastern Pyrenees.
Cretaceous Research (advance online publication)
doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2011.01.009 
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?
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2F2011&_rdoc=3&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_origin=browse&_zone
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rsion=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=582538&md5=c3e45e96ccf9f3ed3
ad41c764436b6bb&searchtype=a

The Late Cretaceous deposits of the continental Tremp 
Formation in the Vallcebre Syncline (South-eastern 
Pyrenees) provide an extensive egg record of dinosaurs. 
The parataxonomical study and analysis of multiple 
eggshell samples, the precise stratigraphical control of 
several sections and the time calibration of the abundant 
egg levels enable the establishment of a robust oospecies 
succession. The successive occurrence of three 
megaloolithid oospecies (Megaloolithus siruguei- 
Megaloolithus mamillare ?Megaloolithus sp.) in the Early 
and Late Maastrichtian is well correlated with the 
magnetic polarity time scale throughout the chron 31. The 
replacement of Megaloolithus siruguei with Megaloolithus 
mamillare occurs around the reversal of chrons 31r-31n. A 
comparison with oospecies successions from Arc basin 
localities (France) allows the age calibration for such 
oospecies replacement to be confirmed. This age 
refinement implies that some of the stated boundaries for 
the proposed oospecies assemblages may change and that an 
in-depth revision of the age and magnetic calibration of 
some south European egg localities is required.